Four people remained in critical condition in hospital on Tuesday after a car plowed into a crowd during Liverpool’s Premier League title parade the night before, injuring dozens. The region’s mayor described the incident as a devastating blow to what was meant to be a night of celebration.
Police arrested a 53-year-old white British man, believed to be the driver of the vehicle. Authorities have ruled out terrorism as a motive and said the attack appeared to be an isolated incident.
“We’re obviously hoping they pull through,” said Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, in an interview with BBC Radio.
Tuesday’s newspapers featured harrowing images from the scene, with headlines such as “Horror at Liverpool Parade” (The Sun) and “Carnage at Parade” (Daily Mail), capturing the stark contrast to what had been a jubilant celebration of Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th English league title.
The incident occurred just minutes after the team’s open-top bus had passed nearby. A dark-colored vehicle suddenly swerved into the dense crowd on Water Street, striking numerous bystanders.
Emergency services reported that 27 people were taken to hospital, including two who sustained serious injuries. Among the injured were four children, one of whom is also in serious condition. Another 20 individuals were treated at the scene in a makeshift medical tent.
Nick Searle, Chief Fire Officer of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed that four people, including a child, had to be pulled from underneath the vehicle.
“It came out of nowhere—extremely fast,” recalled Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihull, who was attending the parade with his wife and young daughters. “We just heard a series of thuds—people being struck and thrown. It was horrifying.”
Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims confirmed that no other suspects were being sought in connection with the incident. “This is not being treated as a terrorist act,” she reiterated at a late-night press briefing.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a statement praising the “remarkable bravery” of the police and emergency responders. “They are providing vital care and support in the aftermath of these terrible events. The whole country stands with Liverpool tonight,” he said.
Shocking footage shared on social media showed the car being surrounded by furious onlookers, who smashed its rear windows as police intervened.
Earlier in the day, Liverpool was awash in red as hundreds of thousands of fans lined the streets in heavy rain to celebrate the club’s triumph, joined by manager Arne Slot and star players including Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Liverpool FC said they were cooperating fully with authorities and extended their thoughts and prayers to those affected. Everton FC, their city rivals, also expressed solidarity, saying: “Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this serious incident.”
The tragedy has revived painful memories for Liverpool, a city that has endured deep sorrow from football-related disasters. In 1989, 97 fans lost their lives in the Hillsborough stadium crush, Britain’s worst sporting tragedy. Just four years earlier, 39 people—mostly Italian fans—died during crowd disturbances between Liverpool and Juventus supporters at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.