By Phil Noble and Sam Tobin, Reuters
Members of the emergency services treat members of the public inside a Police cordon at the scene of an incident, on the sidelines of an open-top bus victory parade for Liverpool's Premier League title win. Photo: DARREN STAPLES / AFP
- Fans massed in Liverpool to celebrate title win
- Police say incident not thought to be terrorism
- PM Starmer says scenes were 'appalling'
A car ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating their side's Premier League soccer title, injuring 27 people, including two seriously, but police said they did not believe the incident was terrorism-related.
Police said they had arrested a "53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area," who they said was the driver of the vehicle which struck a large group of supporters who were celebrating in the city in northwest England.
Ambulance officials said of the 27 taken to hospital, four were children. One child and one adult were in a serious condition. Videos on social media showed people thrown into the air as the car rammed into spectators.
When the car stopped, angry fans converged on it and began smashing the windows as police officers intervened to prevent them from reaching the driver.
"We believe this to be an isolated incident, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it. The incident is not being treated as terrorism," temporary Deputy Chief Constable Jenny Sims told reporters.
With most people off work for the Spring Bank Holiday, hundreds of thousands of fans gathered to watch the Liverpool team and its staff travel through the city centre on an open-top bus with the Premier League trophy.
Police at the scene after a car hit pedestrians during Liverpool's Premier League title celebrations in the city centre, Photo: AFP / Darren Staples
The incident "cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day," Liverpool city council leader Liam Robinson said on social media.
In the aftermath, a Reuters photographer saw emergency services carrying victims on stretchers to ambulances and debris scattered on the road.
Police were unusually quick to give a description of the man they arrested.
Dal Babu, a former chief superintendent in London's Metropolitan Police, told the BBC this was an effort to cool social media speculation that the episode was an Islamist attack.
An eyewitness who gave her name as Chelsea told BBC Radio that people packed onto the street were only alerted to the danger by screams from the crowd. That enabled some to jump out of the way as the driver showed no sign of slowing.
"With the commotion, that was the only reason we looked up, and thankfully, looked up and managed to jump out (of) the way in time," the woman said.
A Reuters witness said that before the incident, there was disorder in the city centre where the parade was due to pass, with overcrowding and spectators confused by a lack of signage about street closures or where they should go.
Liverpool supporters leave at the end of the victory parade for Liverpool's Premier League title win, after a car hit pedestrians at the parade. Photo: AFP / Darren Staples
Liverpool last won the trophy during the Covid-19 pandemic when celebrations were not permitted due to lockdowns.
Politicians in Britain and in Ireland, where the club is popular, thanked emergency services.
"My thoughts are with all those injured or affected," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X, adding that the scenes were "appalling" and that he was being updated about the events.
The team said on X it was in direct contact with police about the event. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident," Liverpool said.
-Reuters
