Car Crashes into Fans at Liverpool Parade; 27 Injured

• Nearly 50 individuals were injured, with 27 requiring hospitalization.
• Fans gathered in Liverpool to celebrate their title win.
• Police do not believe the incident is related to terrorism.

A car crashed into a crowd of Liverpool supporters celebrating their Premier League championship on Monday, injuring 27 people, two of whom are in serious condition. Authorities indicated they do not suspect any terrorism-related motives.

Police have detained a “53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area,” who they believe was driving the vehicle that collided with a large group of fans in the city located in northwest England.

Emergency personnel treated 20 individuals at the scene. From the 27 hospitalized, four were children. One child and one adult are reported to be seriously injured, while firefighters had to rescue four individuals trapped underneath the vehicle.

Social media footage displayed the shocking moment as spectators were thrown into the air upon impact.

After the car came to a halt, outraged fans surrounded it and began smashing the windows, prompting police to step in to protect the driver.

“We consider this to be a singular event and are not seeking anyone else in connection with it. The situation is not being viewed as terrorism,” stated Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Jenny Sims during a press briefing.

With many people off work for the Spring Bank Holiday, hundreds of thousands turned out to witness the procession featuring the Liverpool team and its staff on an open-top bus displaying the Premier League trophy.

An eyewitness claimed the collision occurred roughly ten minutes after the bus transporting the Liverpool team had passed, as reported by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The incident “cast a significant shadow over what was supposed to be a celebratory day,” remarked Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson on social media.

Following the event, a Reuters photographer captured images of emergency services transporting victims on stretchers to ambulances amidst debris scattered across the roadway.

Police rapidly issued a description of the arrested man, an unusual move aimed at dispelling social media rumors regarding a potential Islamist attack.

Dal Babu, a former chief superintendent with London’s Metropolitan Police, highlighted this effort to mitigate public concern, recalling the police response to the murder of three young girls in nearby Southport last year, which ignited several days of rioting fueled by online speculation about the perpetrator’s identity.

An eyewitness named Chelsea told BBC Radio that the crowd only realized the impending danger after hearing screams, allowing some to evade the vehicle as the driver showed no sign of slowing down. “With the commotion, that’s how we knew to look up, and thankfully, we managed to jump out of the way just in time,” she recounted.

This was Liverpool’s first championship celebration since the COVID pandemic, when public gatherings were banned due to lockdown measures.

A Reuters observer noted that, prior to the crash, the city center was overcrowded, and the lack of clear signage regarding road closures confused many spectators.

“My thoughts are with everyone hurt or impacted by this event,” stated Prime Minister Keir Starmer on social media, condemning the situation as “shocking” and indicating he would continue to receive updates on the matter.

Liverpool FC expressed its condolences on social media, stating, “We are in direct communication with law enforcement. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this serious event.”