'Horror' at Liverpool title parade, police rule out terrorism in car ramming / Photo: Paul ELLIS - AFP
'Horror' at Liverpool title parade, police rule out terrorism in car ramming
Four people were "very, very ill in hospital" on Tuesday after dozens were injured the previous night when a car rammed into a crowd at Liverpool's Premier League title parade, the region's mayor said.
A 53-year-old white British man, who was believed to be the driver of the car, was arrested on Monday, although police said they were not treating the incident as terrorism.
"We are hoping of course that they pull through," Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City region, told BBC radio about the four people.
The morning newspapers were splashed with images of the terrible incident.
Headlines such as "Horror at Liverpool parade" in The Sun daily and "Carnage at parade" in the Daily Mail summed up what should have been a jubilant night for the Reds, who were celebrating a record-equalling 20th English league title.
Minutes after the players' open-topped bus passed nearby, a dark-coloured vehicle swerved through the huge crowds hitting people in its path.
In a late night press conference, emergency workers said that 27 football fans were taken to hospital, including two who were seriously injured.
Four children were amongst those hurt, including one seriously.
- 'Horrible' -
"We believe this to be an isolated incident, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it," Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims told reporters.
"The incident is not being treated as terrorism," she added.
Hundreds of thousands of people had turned out in torrential rain to see the northwest English side's victory parade.
The bus carrying the team had passed nearby just minutes before the car ran into the crowd on Water Street, witnesses said.
"It was extremely fast," said Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihull, near Birmingham, central England, who was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters.
"Initially we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of the car," he told reporters.
"It was horrible and you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people."
- 'Remarkable bravery' -
Twenty other people were treated at the scene for their injuries, in a large blue tent set up on the street.
Four people, including a child, were trapped under the car and had to be removed, said Nick Searle, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service chief fire officer.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer commended the "remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services".
"They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events," he said in a statement, adding that "the whole country stands with Liverpool".
Images shared on social media showed the car being brought to a halt and swarmed by angry fans, who broke the back windows as police sought to hold them back.
Liverpool had earlier been a sea of red as supporters packed the city's streets to celebrate winning the Premier League title with manager Arne Slot and star players including Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
- 'Difficult day' -
Liverpool FC said on X that they were working with Merseyside police, adding: "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident".
Everton, Liverpool's Merseyside rivals, also said the club's "thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this serious incident in our city".
Liverpool's football history has been shadowed by tragedy.
In 1989, 97 Liverpool fans died in a crush at a game in the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield.
More than 760 people were also injured in the deadliest disaster in British sporting history, which still scars the port city.
In 1985, 39 mainly Italian fans were killed when a wall collapsed amidst disturbances between Liverpool and Juventus fans at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.
C.Silva--GBA
