Highcliffe, England, UK – The city of Liverpool is in shock after a night of celebration for thousands of Liverpool football fans has turned into one of distress following a car ramming.
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By 7 p.m. Monday, the Merseyside Police declared a major incident after a car collided into a large crowd of people during a victory parade for Liverpool Football Club after the team won the premier league.
The incident occurred on Water Street, located in the Northwest region of England in Liverpool as the victory parade was drawing to a close.
In widely seen footage, the car starts to progress slowly while manoeuvring through a closed road and into the crowd about 6 p.m. before unexpectedly accelerating into the masses ahead. This caused people to become trapped underneath the car and for it to collide with many others.
The celebratory atmosphere quickly transformed into one of chaos and fear.
Following the incident, many eyewitnesses became angered and seemed to threaten the driver and the car. Some people smashed in the rear window.
People outside Liverpool Lime Street after the incident. (Gemma Christie/YJI)
Prime Minister Keir Starmer describes the incident as “appalling” and said he “wanted to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident.”
At least two people, including a child, were seriously injured, according to the North West Ambulance Service, while 27 in total were taken to a hospital following the attack, four of those being children.
The ambulance service said a cyclist paramedic was also struck by the vehicle but sustained no injuries.
As of Tuesday night, no fatalities had been reported.
“A large number of people of all ages were treated at the scene but did not require hospital treatment,” said Sims.
Only two hours after the incident, Merseyside Police announced the arrest of a 53-year-old British white male who police said is believed to be the driver of the vehicle.
They were quick to release this information to ensure that no speculation is made by the general public.
In a Monday evening press conference Assistant Police Chief Constable Jenny Sims called it an “isolated incident.” She said police “are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it.”
Police said it is not being regarded as terrorism, but offered no clue as to the motive or intentions of the driver. Officials urged the community to remain calm and not speculate while the incident is under investigation.
Tallulah Binder is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International from Highcliffe, England. She wrote this story.
Gemma Christie is a Senior Reporter with Youth Journalism International from Chester, England. She contributed the photos from Liverpool.
