Officers have confirmed that a 53-year-old white British man was arrested at the scene.
22:27, 26 May 2025
A large emergency service presence on Water Street
A large emergency service presence on Water Street
An eyewitness in Liverpool says the driver of a car that ploughed through dozens of football fans "stalled for a few seconds, before continuing to plough through some more".
Officers have confirmed that a 53-year-old white British man was arrested at the scene. As reported by the Mirror, Harry Rashid was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters when he witnessed the collision.
The 48-year-old, from Solihull, said: "It happened about 10 feet away from us. 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 this strand, which is where the docks are. It was extremely fast."
A man has been arrested
A man has been arrested(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Article continues below
Mr Rashid described how crowds began trying to smash the car windows: "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.
"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."
Mr Rashid said that emergency services arrived at the scene "within seconds". He added: "Ambulances were already there. There was one right next to where this occurred, so there was a paramedic inside there.
"But then they started arriving within seconds, they're all trying to get to the crowd and negotiate the crowd, which is very difficult to do, you see, because there's that many people, they constantly been trying to move.
Police and emergency personnel dealing with a road traffic accident on Water Street
Police and emergency personnel dealing with the incident(Image: PA)
"I just wanted my kids to get off the road regardless because I couldn't trust whether there's a follow up attack or something like that. Because you are just exposed there on the pavement. I saw people lying on the ground, people unconscious. It was horrendous. So horrendous."
Meanwhile, police confirmed officers had apprehended a man after the car drove through the crowd in Liverpool.
A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: “We would ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding tonight’s incident on Water Street in Liverpool city centre.
“We can confirm the man arrested is a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area. Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision.
“We would ask people not to share distressing content online but to send the footage or information directly to us @MerPolCC or pass on information by calling 101 quoting log 784.
“Information can also be passed on anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Article continues below