27-05-2025
Snipers appeared to have been stationed on buildings during Liverpool football parade where driver ploughed into crowds
Snipers appeared to have been stationed on top of a building during Liverpool's parade through the city yesterday.
Unverified footage circulating on social media appears to show two police marksmen stationed on the Queensway Tunnel Ventilation Tower building overlooking The Strand.
In the clip they are looking towards the Grade I-listed Royal Liver Building with a thinly dispersed crowd below.
It is not known if any police snipers were deployed before or after the horror unfolded on the adjacent jam-packed Water Street where a Ford Galaxy had mowed down Liverpool fans and injured 47 people.
Merseyside Police said it was unable to comment on the footage, but a police source told MailOnline it was standard procedure to have armed officers at large events.
At a press conference this afternoon the force confirmed officers with guns had been at the event.
The force deployed snipers in 2023 when the city hosted Eurovision, and armed police in 2017 patrolled Aintree for the first time as part of a 'ring of steel' to protect punters going to the Grand National.
Security expert Lee Doddridge told Sky News this morning that police had used 'totally the wrong tactic'.
He said: 'The immediate thought for me was how was a vehicle allowed to be among so many people?
'I've got to say it is just alarming that a vehicle was allowed to be so close. You allow for emergency service vehicles, it really doesn't matter at this point what the motive was, we know it wasn't terrorism, but really, a vehicle should not have been allowed anywhere near those celebrations.'
Mr Doddridge added: 'One of the images shown last night were police snipers on rooftops as if they were covering the crowd. Totally the wrong tactic. If they had focused more on preventing vehicles getting in they could have prevented this incident.
'I say could have prevent it because that's exactly what you do when you do it correctly. I do think it places a massive liability on Merseyside Police for not getting this right.'
Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims has said it is believed that the car was able to follow an ambulance.
She told a press conference at Merseyside Police headquarters: 'It is believed the driver of the Ford Galaxy car involved in this incident was able to follow an ambulance onto Water Street after the road block was temporarily lifted so that the ambulance crew could attend to a member of the public who was having a suspected heart attack.
'As with many large events, with event organisers we planned for all contingencies and this included the implementation of road closures to protect pedestrians and an armed policing presence was also in place throughout the day.
'There was no intelligence to suggest an incident of this nature would take place, and as we previously stated, the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
'An extensive investigation into the precise circumstances of the incident is ongoing and we continue to ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the incident and refrain from sharing distressing content online.'
King Charles today said he was 'deeply shocked and saddened' by the crash during Liverpool's Premier League title parade.
The 76-year-old monarch said: 'I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.'
Up to one million Liverpool fans had jubilantly gathered to celebrate the club winning the Premier League title with a 10-mile trophy parade through the city centre on Bank Holiday Monday.
But in another alarming reminder of how vehicles can be used as a weapon, the celebratory scenes soon descended into a day of horror as a people carrier veered into crowds on Water Street just after 6pm, leaving at least 47 injured.
A total of 27 people have been taken to hospital following the horrific incident, including four children. One child was trapped under the car with three adults when firefighters arrived to save them.
Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram confirmed this morning there are 'still four people who are very, very ill in hospital'. The other 20 casualties were treated at the scene
Jack Trotter, one of the victims who was rushed to hospital, said he remains in 'agony' after being discharged and described it as 'the most horrifying incident I've ever experienced in my life'.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the whole country 'stands with Liverpool', describing the incident as 'scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation'.
In what has been described as an 'unprecedented' move, Merseyside Police quickly confirmed a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was arrested, adding that he is believed to have been the driver and it wasn't being treated as terrorism.
It comes after the same police force was criticised over the Southport murders last summer after riots engulfed Britain over false rumours the killer was a Muslim asylum seeker.
But the force has come under fire from security experts and witnesses who have today told of their shock that Water Street, a busy road packed with fans, was accessible to the people carrier and ultimately led to the scenes of chaos.
A forensics officer places an item into an evidence bag at the scene where a car collided with people during the Liverpool FC trophy parade -- May 27, 2025
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father died in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, said questions need to be asked about how the driver was able to access a 'road which should have been closed'.
Footage appears to show the grey Ford Galaxy struggling to make its way along Dale Street, the main business thoroughfare in the city, while hundreds of fans were still on the street.
Some could be seen banging on the car's rear and back window, before the vehicle quickly reversed and went forward, seemingly antagonising supporters.
The parade bus had passed along The Strand, the main road along the famous waterfront which was closed to traffic, just moments earlier. But Water Street, which runs off it, was packed with people walking into the city to catch trains, buses and taxis home.
Later footage seemingly showed that, by the time the car reached the end of Dale Street and entered Water Street, its back window had been smashed. The driver then went on the rampage and ploughed into the crowds.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims last night told a press conference that there were 'robust' traffic management measures in place for the parade, however it was unclear whether Dale Street or Water Street were officially closed to vehicles.
Neither were advertised as being part of 'fixed' closures before the event although 'rolling' road closures were anticipated along the route.
It is understood that Water Street was closed to traffic as part of a rolling road block as the parade reached the city centre.
A source told the Mail that there were bollards at the top of the road, at the junction of Dale Street close to the Town Hall, but these were moved to allow an ambulance to get through and the driver 'tailgated' the emergency vehicle to access Water Street.
