A 53-year-old man has been arrested after the horrifying incident which marred the Liverpool FC title celebrations after a car mowed down fans on Water Street in Liverpool city centre
Sport
Updated 21:47, 26 May 2025
The horrific scenes in Liverpool during the Liverpool FC victory parade
The horrific scenes in Liverpool during the Liverpool FC victory parade
(Image: Pixel8000)
Eyewitnesses were left "shocked" and told how they heard screams as a car mowed down people during Liverpool’s Premier League trophy parade on Monday. A 53-year-old man has been arrested, with Merseyside Police stating the suspect was white, British and from the Liverpool area.
The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, labelled the incident "appalling" and and it is understood Counter Terrorism Policing North West are supporting Merseyside Police.
Footage of the incident which was circulating online on Monday appeared to show the vehicle speed up as it veered into pedestrians on both sides of the street. Officers surrounded the car very soon after, as witnesses attempted to stop the driver, who was eventually detained by police. Emergency services were quickly at the scene and several casualties were seen being taken away by ambulances and a large police cordon was put in place on Water Street and emergency vehicles could be seen lining the road.
In a statement, Liverpool FC said: “We are in direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade earlier this evening.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident. We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.”
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Matt Cole, a BBC reporter who attended the parade with his family, witnessed the incident. He said: “I was there with my family. We had just moments before watched fireworks going off and celebrations, the Liverpool bus passing us on the Strand.
“There were screams ahead of us and suddenly this dark blue car just came through the crowd. It just wasn’t stopping. I managed to grab my daughter who was with me and jump out of the way.
“It missed myself and my family by literally inches. We then turned and watched what happened momentarily behind us before running.
“It was being chased by a group of men who were trying to bang on the side of it and throw things at it. The back of the rear windshield had been completely smashed in, but it just had no intention of stopping. At that point, we and others dived into a side street and then once I was sure my family were safe, I looked back to see people sitting on the ground surrounded by people.
“Police came running from all over, ambulances, police vans, as we moved away through those crowds.
“An entire squad of armed police cars stopped, and people jumped out with rifles and again big medical packs on and began running to the scene of the incident.”
A car ploughs into pedestrians during Liverpool FC's Premier League title celebrations
A car ploughs into pedestrians during Liverpool FC's Premier League title celebrations
Another witness, who was walking with a group of friends, said that he saw a car “speeding up” and hit pedestrians. The man, who gave his name to the Press Association as Mike Maddra, told how the “car turned left, mounted pavement, come towards us and runs towards the buildings. We got out the way and it was speeding up”.
He added that he thought he saw two people being hit and added. "It looked deliberate”.
A third man, Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihull, was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters when he witnessed the collision.
“It happened about 10 feet away from us," said Mr Rashid. "We were just in a crowd and we had no control over where we would be, because it was a very narrow street.
“The vehicle came to our right. It emerged from just right next to an ambulance, which was parked up. This grey people carrier just pulled up from the right and just rammed into all the people at the side of us. It was travelling south, down Water Street, straight towards the Strand, which is where the docks are.
Members of the emergency services treat members of the public inside a police cordon at the scene of the incident in Liverpool City Centre.
“It was extremely fast. Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car.
“Then he stalled for a few seconds, probably about 10 seconds. Then the crowd that was a bit further back started rushing at him trying to smash his windows. But then he put his foot down again and just ploughed through the rest of them, he just kept going.
“It was horrible. And you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people. Then my daughter started screaming and there were people on the ground. It looked clearly deliberate.
TOPSHOT - Police officers cover with an inflatable tent, behind a firefighter vehicle, the tents delimiting the scene of an incident in Water Street, on the sidelines of an open-top bus victory parade for Liverpool's Premier League title win, in Liverpool, north-west England on May 26, 2025. A car collided with a number of pedestrians in Liverpool, northern England, on May 26 evening during Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade, police said. Police said they were contacted shortly after 6pm (1700 GMT) 'following reports of a collision between a car and a number of pedestrians' in the city centre. One man has been arrested, according to the police, who did not say whether there were any casualties. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
The car struck several fans during the Liverpool parade celebrations
“They were just innocent people, just fans going to enjoy the parade. There were hundreds and thousands of us there because this is probably the busiest part of Liverpool. We were shocked, couldn’t believe it.”
Emergency services arrived at the scene “within seconds”, he said.
A fourth witness, Peter Jones, 44, from the Isle of Man, described the incident as “shocking”.
He said: “We were walking up Water Street, thousands around us. We heard a frantic beeping ahead, a car flew past me and my mate, people were chasing it and trying to stop him, windows smashed at the back.
“He then drove into people, police and medics ran past us, and people were being treated on the side of the road. There were a lot injured. We heard it behind us hit the crowds, then we saw half a dozen people [injured] in the road as we were walking up.”
“It was shocking. We’re back at our hotel now, in a bit of a shock.”
Police and emergency personnel dealing with an incident near the Liver Building in Liverpool
Police and emergency personnel dealing with an incident near the Liver Building in Liverpool
People have been seen being carried on stretchers
Merseyside Police are leading the investigation into the incident, but officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North West are supporting them.
In a statement posted on social media Liverpool FC said: “We are in direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade earlier this evening.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident. We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.”
READ MORE: Liverpool parade crash: Keir Starmer issues statement after car drives into Liverpool fansREAD MORE: Liverpool parade crash: Premier League make statement after car ploughs into fans
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the scenes in Liverpool as “truly shocking”.
She said: “Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response to the truly shocking and horrendous scenes in Liverpool this evening. Thinking of all those affected at this very difficult time. The police are investigating and I’m being kept updated on developments.”
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said in a statement: “Our hearts go out to all of those affected, especially those who have been injured. Thank you, as ever, to the first responders for their professionalism and swift action. This is a difficult day for our city region, but we stand together.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said: “The pictures emerging from Liverpool are deeply worrying. My thoughts are with all those affected, and the emergency services as they respond to what appears a horrific incident.”
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