UK authorities suspect the vehicle incident in Liverpool was not act of terrorism
Liverpool, England – A car crashed into a crowd of Liverpool football fans during a celebratory parade for their team's Premier League title on Monday, hospitalizing 27 individuals, with two sustaining serious injuries. Authorities, however, stated the incident did not appear to be terrorism-related.
The police apprehended a 53-year-old male from the Liverpool area who is believed to be the driver of the vehicle that collided with a significant number of supporters in the city of northwest England. Twenty people were treated at the scene, and four children were among the 27 taken to hospitals. One child and one adult remain in serious condition. Four individuals trapped under the vehicle were rescued by firefighters.
Social media videos showed spectators being hurled into the air as the car struck the crowd. Upon halting, infuriated fans converged upon the vehicle, smashing its windows as law enforcement officers intervened to prevent them from reaching the driver.
According to temporary Deputy Chief Constable Jenny Sims, the incident is believed to be isolated, and no one else is being sought in connection with it. The authorities are not treating the incident as terrorism-related.
Monday's car crash cast a somber shade over what had otherwise been a joyous occasion, as hundreds of thousands of fans gathered to watch the Liverpool team and staff parade through the city center on an open-top bus with the Premier League trophy. Liverpool city council leader Liam Robinson described the event as "casting a very dark shadow" on the day.
Reuters photographers captured images of emergency services carrying victims on stretchers to ambulances and debris strewn across the road in the aftermath of the incident.
Police provided a quick description of the man they arrested, a strategy intended to quell speculation on social media suggesting the episode may have been an Islamist attack. In 2020, the same police force had to manage disturbances following the murder of three young girls in the nearby town of Southport, incited by online speculation about the attacker's identity.
An eyewitness, identified as Chelsea, told BBC Radio that the crowded street was alerted to the danger only by screams from the crowd. This momentary warning enabled some individuals to jump out of the way as the driver showed no signs of slowing down.
Prior to the incident, there was disorder in the city center, where the parade was set to pass, due to overcrowding and confusion over street closures or where spectators should go.
Liverpool has not won the trophy since the COVID pandemic, during which celebrations were prohibited due to lockdowns. Politicians in Britain and Ireland, where the club is popular, expressed gratitude to emergency services. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated, "My thoughts are with all those injured or affected," adding that the scenes were "appalling" and that he was being updated about the events. The team expressed sympathy for those affected by the serious incident.
- The police are investigating a video of the car crash incident during the Liverpool football team's title celebratory parade, showing spectators being thrown into the air as the vehicle struck the crowd.
- In addition to the general-news about the car crash, the incident has also been categorized under crime-and-justice, as it involved a 53-year-old male being apprehended for allegedly driving into a crowd of football fans.
- The soccer match in question is a part of the European leagues, specifically the Premier League, where Liverpool won the title after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Despite the somber turn of events, sports news outlets are still covering the victory of the Liverpool football club in the Premier League, albeit with a heavier emphasis on the car crash incident that marred their celebratory parade.
