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A car ploughed into a large crowd of football fans celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title victory on Monday, injuring 27 people and leaving two in a serious condition. However, Merseyside Police have confirmed that the incident is not being treated as an act of terrorism.
At a press briefing, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims stated that a 53-year-old white British man had been arrested, and authorities believe the act to be isolated. “We are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the incident,” she said.
The collision occurred just minutes after Liverpool’s open-top victory bus had passed along Water Street. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as a dark-coloured vehicle sped into the crowd, hitting people in its path. Four children were among those injured, one of them seriously.
Tens of thousands had lined the rain-soaked streets for what was intended to be a jubilant celebration of the club’s 20th top-flight title. The incident turned the occasion sombre in a matter of seconds.
“I just heard the pop, pop, pop of people being hit,” said Harry Rashid from Solihull, who was at the parade with his wife and daughters. “It was horrifying.”
Another witness, Mike Maddra, said the car mounted the pavement and sped towards nearby buildings. “We jumped out of the way as it accelerated,” he added.
Emergency services swiftly responded. Four individuals, including a child, were trapped beneath the vehicle and had to be extricated, according to Nick Searle, chief fire officer of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. A further 20 people received on-site medical attention in a temporary treatment area.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the “remarkable bravery” of the emergency responders, noting that the entire country stood in solidarity with Liverpool. “They are providing care and support to those affected by this horrific incident,” he said.
BBC reporter Matt Cole, who was at the parade with his family, said he managed to pull his daughter to safety just in time. “The car wasn’t stopping. It came through the crowd without hesitation,” he recalled.
Footage circulated online showed the vehicle being stopped by angry fans, some of whom smashed its rear windows before police intervened.
Liverpool had been awash with red earlier in the day as supporters celebrated the club’s long-awaited league title with manager Arne Slot and key players such as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk leading the parade.
The club later posted on social media: “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this serious incident,” and confirmed it was cooperating with police investigations.
Steve Rotheram, the city region’s metro mayor, described it as “a difficult day” but said the community would stand united.
Everton FC, Liverpool’s local rivals, also expressed their sympathy to those impacted.
Liverpool’s historic 20th league title was clinched weeks earlier, but the trophy was officially lifted after Sunday’s final match against Crystal Palace. The 2020 title, won under Jürgen Klopp, could not be celebrated with a parade due to the pandemic.
The city has been marked by football tragedies in the past. In 1989, 97 fans lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster, Britain’s worst-ever sporting tragedy. Four years earlier, 39 fans, mostly Italians, died during a stadium collapse at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels during a Liverpool-Juventus match.
