Key points
- Fans massed in Liverpool to celebrate title win
- Police say incident not thought to be terrorism
- Scenes “appalling”: PM Starmer
ISLAMABAD: A car ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating their side’s Premier League soccer title on Monday, leaving nearly 50 people injured.
At least 27 people were hospitalised, with two seriously injured.
Police said they had arrested a “53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area,” whom they believed to be the driver of the vehicle which struck a large group of supporters who were celebrating in the city in northwest England, Reuters reported.
“We believe this to be an isolated incident, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it,” Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims told a press conference, adding a 53-year-old white British man had been arrested.
Children among injured
“The incident is not being treated as terrorism,” she added. Four children were among those hurt, including one seriously.
Tens of thousands of people had turned out in torrential rain for what should have been jubilant celebrations to see the northwest English side’s victory parade.
The bus carrying the team had passed by Water Street just minutes before the car ran into the crowd, witnesses said.
“It was extremely fast,” said Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihull, near Birmingham, central England, who was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters.
“It was horrible”
“Initially we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of the car,” he told reporters.
“It was horrible and you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people.”
Witness Mike Maddra said the “car turned left, mounted pavement, come towards us and runs towards the buildings.”
He said “we got out the way and it was speeding up”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer commended the “remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services”.
“They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events,” he said in a statement, adding: “the whole country stands with Liverpool”.
The scenes in Liverpool are appalling — my thoughts are with all those injured or affected.
I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident.
I’m being kept updated on developments and ask that we give the police…
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 26, 2025
Liverpool FC said, “We are in direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade earlier this evening.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident. We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident,” the club said in a post on X.
We are in direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade earlier this evening.
Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident.
We will continue to offer… pic.twitter.com/xreiSqiEnL
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 26, 2025
According to AFP, twenty other people were treated at the scene for their injuries, in a large blue tent set up on the street.
Four people, including a child, were trapped under the car and had to be removed, said Nick Searle, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service chief fire officer.
BBC reporter Matt Cole who was at the parade with his family described hearing “screams ahead of us and suddenly this dark blue car just came through the crowd.
“It just wasn’t stopping”
“It just wasn’t stopping. I managed to grab my daughter who was with me and jump out of the way,” he said.
Images shared on social media showed the car being brought to a halt and swarmed by angry fans, who broke the back windows as police sought to hold them back.
Liverpool had earlier been a sea of red as hundreds of thousands of supporters packed the city’s streets to celebrate winning the Premier League title with Arne Slot’s successful squad.
Star players Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk led the festivities on the top deck of the bus.
