What was meant to be a day of joy and celebration for Liverpool FC’s Premier League triumph ended in tragedy on Monday afternoon, when a vehicle drove into a crowd of fans gathered in the city center for the victory parade.
Merseyside Police confirmed the arrest of a 53-year-old British man in connection with the incident but ruled out terrorism as a motive.
The preliminary toll is alarming: 27 people, including four children, were taken to nearby hospitals, with two suffering serious injuries. An additional 20 were treated at the scene.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and horror. According to multiple accounts, the driver suddenly accelerated into the packed crowd lining the parade route. After briefly stopping, and as onlookers tried to confront him and smash the vehicle’s windows, the driver sped off again, hitting more people in the process.
“It happened incredibly fast. We just heard the pop, pop, pop of bodies hitting the bonnet,” recalled Harry Rashid, who was at the scene with his wife and two young daughters. “My daughter started screaming. There were people unconscious on the ground. It was horrifying—just horrifying,” he said.
Footage shared on social media captured disturbing images: people lying motionless on the pavement, screams echoing through the streets, and bystanders attempting to stop the driver.
Emergency response was swift, with the North West Ambulance Service deploying helicopters and multiple ambulances. “Our priority is to ensure the injured receive medical attention as quickly as possible,” a spokesperson said.
The incident occurred toward the end of a jubilant parade in which thousands of fans flooded Liverpool’s streets to honor their team. Star players, including Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk, led the celebrations on an open-top bus that traveled over 16 kilometers through clouds of red smoke and flares.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his shock on social media platform X. “Horrific scenes in Liverpool. My thoughts are with all those injured and their families. Grateful to the police and emergency services for their swift response. It’s vital they’re given the space needed to carry out their investigation,” he posted.
Liverpool FC also issued a statement, saying: “We are in direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident that occurred on Water Street toward the end of the trophy parade this afternoon. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected. We will continue to offer full support to emergency services and local authorities handling this incident.”
While authorities have reiterated that the incident is not being treated as terrorism-related, they confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway, in collaboration with the North West Counter Terrorism Police. Officials have urged the public to avoid speculation until further information is released.
What began as a historic and joyous occasion for Liverpool FC and its supporters ended in heartbreak, leaving a community shaken on a day that was supposed to be remembered for triumph—not tragedy.
