Written by Sanskriti Shaw
On Monday, thousands of people gathered to celebrate Liverpool’s Premier League victory, packing the city streets with cheers and banners. However, the joyful atmosphere turned tragic shortly, at around 6:03 PM a speeding car slammed into a crowded group of fans in the Northwest English city, injuring at least 50 people.
A 53-year-old British man who was the driver of the vehicle has been arrested. Merseyside Police confirmed that 50 people were injured, including 4 children. The North West Ambulance Service reported at a press conference that 27 people were taken to the hospital, including a child and one other person with serious injuries, while other people were treated at the scene near Water Street.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims of Merseyside Police said the incident is not being treated as an act of terrorism, he said, “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.”
The footage shared on social media shows the car crashing into spectators, tossing people into the air. When the car came to a stop the furious fans surrounded it, smashing the windows while police stepped in to stop them from getting to the driver.
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“People started banging on the windows. Then they smashed the windows and he panicked and put his foot down. He then hit someone and that person has gone in the air and he’s ploughed through the rest of them. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Les Winsper who had witnessed the scene. He added, “I personally think he’s hit someone by mistake and then he’s put his foot down. It was the worst thing I’ve seen in my life, you see it on TV. That’s why all the kids are crying, because they witnessed it. I’m traumatised.”
Liverpool FC shared a statement on social media. “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 statement read.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also expressed his sadness in a post on X. “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 the space they need to investigate,” the post stated.
As night fell over the city, a somber mood replaced the earlier celebrations. This tragic event has cast a dark shadow over what was meant to be a joyous celebration of football, unity, and community.
