Algerian football fans light up London with illegal fireworks

A group of Algerian football fans lit up the River Thames with a display of fireworks and flares to celebrate the birthday of the north African nation’s football team Mouloudia Club d’Alger.

The illegal display shone brightly in the team’s red and green colours across the Millennium Bridge and Blackfriars footbridge on Wednesday evening in celebration of its 103rd birthday.

Mouloudia Club d’Alger, referred to as MC Alger or MCA for short, was founded in 1921 and is based in Algiers.

Speculation was rife on social media with many believing that the far-right riots had spread to the city centre, but witnesses leaving the bridge told The Times that it was a celebration of the club.

One Algerian fan who lives in London had travelled