It was meant to be a triumphant Spring Bank Holiday for Liverpool fans… until a car vaulted into the crowd, turning joy into shock. On the afternoon of the club's Premier League title parade, a grey people-carrier crashed into supporters gathered in the city centre. Twenty people were treated on the street, and 27 were taken to hospital, including four children and four people in critical condition.
Police arrested a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area, whom they believe was the driver. Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Jenny Sims reassured the public that the collision was not being treated as terrorism and said the incident appears isolated, with no other suspects sought.
Witnesses said the impact tossed fans into the air and dragged at least four under the vehicle. Firefighters freed those trapped, while other supporters, furious and frightened, smashed the car's windows as officers formed a cordon.
Just ten minutes earlier, an open-top bus carrying Liverpool's players and staff rolled past, cheered on by hundreds of thousands during the Spring Bank Holiday. Instead of victory chants and confetti, emergency responders were now navigating debris-strewn streets.
Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson said the crash cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day, while Mayor Steve Rotheram urged everyone to keep the injured and their families in their thoughts as hospitals handle the influx.
As the investigation continues, the city holds its breath, hoping for a full recovery for all victims and answers on how this isolated tragedy struck at the heart of a global celebration.
Reference(s):
Car plows into fans at Liverpool FC parade, dozens hospitalized
cgtn.com
