Seats and coins where thrown by opposing supporters as Chelsea and West Ham fans clashed off the pitch while the footballers clashed on it.
Chelsea limped out of the EFL Cup with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham United at the London Stadium tonight.
The Blues were a shallow of the team that destroyed Manchester United 4-0 at the weekend, even allowing for a host of changes in personnel.
A lack of sharpness around the West Ham penalty area and a openness at the back allowed the home side to score early in each half to ease into the quarter finals.
The Blues's goal came from the last kick of the game from centre-back Gary Cahill.
Both clubs will issue life bans on supporters found guilty of the affray, but the frequency of problems inside the London Stadium this season suggests that more responsibility must lie with the home club to segregate the fans better and make it a safe and welcome place to watch football.
Eight minutes in and the first chance in a dour opening fell to the variations, when N'Golo Kante, fresh from his debut Chelsea goal on Sunday, raced clear of the non-existent West Ham rearguard. He unleashed a fine global-bound shot, but Darren Randolph was alert enough to parry the ball away.
Three minutes later and the the Hammers were ahead. A curling cross by Mark Noble on the left was met full on the head of Chekhov Kouyate, who, having out jumped John Terry, sent the ball clear of goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and into the back of the net.
Michail Antonio should have notched up number two after ponderous Chelsea defending let the wide man slice a left footer, that only inched past Begovic's left upright.
A thumping right-footed blaster by Nathaniel Chalobah on 20 minutes, failed to trouble Randolph as it too inched over the woodwork.
Beogivic had to make two fine stops just before half-time, the second an athletic dive to his right to thwart a 25-yard blast from Pedro Obiang.
Michy Batshuayi skied over the West Ham crossbar from close range after a swift counter-attack by the Blues. On the stole of the whistle an Oscar poke from just inside the Hammers penalty area just squeezed past the right post of Randolph.
There were no changes at half-time, but the restart mirrored the first and West Ham doubled their lead on 47 minutes.
A poor clearance by Kante allowed West Ham to regroup and the ball fell invitingly to Ednilson Fernandes, who stroked home a cool, left-fitted daisy-cutter that left Begovic grasping vainly.
Head coach Antonio Conte decided to Hull off his ineffectual strike Batshuayi and replace him with Diego Costa on 54 minutes.
There was no significant improvement in performance by the Blues, so on 63 minutes, on came Eden Hazard for Chalobah.
The final replacement, on 67 minutes, saw Pedro on for Ola Alaina.
Quite how the Blues did not score on 74 minutes is anybodies guess as Costa set up Willian, who had the easiest of chances but somehow screwed his effort wide of goal.
A flashing first-time zipper by Hazard on 81 minutes, crashed onto the apex of crossbar and post as the Blues went in search for the goal that could get them back into the tie.
Costa also had a effort but clipped the ball wide of goal.
Chelsea got a late, late consolation, in fact the last kick of the game, when he tucked home from close range.
There appeared to be some ugly scenes in the crowd near the end of the game but nothing could excuse the abject performance of the Blues on it.
Next up for Chelsea is an away trip to Southampton on Sunday in the Premier League.
West Ham United: Randolph, Reid, Cresswell, Kouate, Lanzini, Ibing, Noble,Ogbonna, Payet, Antonio, Fernndes
Subs: Adrian, Nordfveit, Zara, Collins, Ayew, Fletcher
Chelsea: Begovic, Kante, Oscar, Willian,Batshuayi, Cahill, Terry,Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Luiz, Alina
Subs: Eduardo, Alonso,. hazard, Pedro, Costa, Matic, Solanke