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The Independent
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
‘Joy turned into terror and disbelief': How a day of happiness became one of horror at Liverpool victory parade
Scenes of jubilation turned to horror at Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade on Monday after a car ploughed into crowds of fans, injuring nearly 50 people. With the city having been under Covid lockdown the last time Liverpool won the title, up to one million fans had turned out to celebrate their team's success on the Spring bank holiday, turning streets into a euphoric sea of flags, scarves and red flares. The parade began at Allerton Maze in the city's south before embarking on a 10-mile route lasting for three and a half hours, as the city lined up to watch the Liverpool team celebrate with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus. But just minutes after the team's bus passed along Water Street, around a mile away from a finale on the Strand in the city centre, the celebratory atmosphere was swiftly and brutally shattered by an unexpected horror. With the red mist of Liverpool-coloured flares still hanging in the air, eyewitnesses described a car driving past a parked police van at a 'decent' speed, with the driver beeping as he went through the crowd. Witness Mike Maddra said he was forced to '[get] out of the way' as the car mounted the pavement and 'was speeding up'. Mr Maddra said he saw two people being hit, adding: 'It looked deliberate.' Harry Rashid, a 48-year-old from Solihull who attended the parade with his wife and two young daughters, said: 'Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car.' Footage posted to social media video then showed angry fans converging on the vehicle as it briefly came to a stop, smashing windows before police intervened. One witness recalled people 'ripping the register plate' from the vehicle. Mr Rashid continued: '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.' This version of events was echoed by Les Winsper, aged 55, who told The Guardian that, after bystanders began smashing the car's windows, the driver appeared to have 'panicked and put his foot down', adding the car then hit someone 'and that person has gone in the air... I've never seen anything like it.' Mr Winsper said the first victim was thrown 'about 20 feet' in the air by the collision, with the entire incident lasting around 20 or 30 seconds. Police said the car eventually stopped at the scene and the man was detained. Paramedics said late on Monday that 27 people were taken to hospital, while a further 20 patients received treatment near the scene, with four children injured in total. Merseyside's chief fire officer Nick Searle said four people who were trapped under the car, including a child, were rescued by firefighters, who arrived shortly after 6pm. Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram told the BBC on Tuesday morning that four people were still 'very, very ill in hospital'. In an unusual move, Merseyside Police – the force which dealt with the Southport attack and subsequent riots last July – revealed on Monday evening that they had arrested a 53-year-old man, who they described as a white British man from the local area. The incident was not thought to be terror-related, said Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims. BBC reporter Matt Cole – who said the car missed him and his family 'by literally inches' – described how police officers exited a 'squad' of armed police vehicles with rifles and medical packs and began running to the scene. A heavy emergency services presence remained in place for hours afterwards, with police cars, fire engines and ambulances remaining on the street. One woman who also survived the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 described being knocked to the floor by the car as it ploughed through the crowds. Frankie, aged 24, told the Daily Mail: 'The side of the car went into me and I fell to the floor. It's all a blur. I've got cuts and bruises and I'll be fine but there's loads who have got more severe injuries.' But referring to having now experienced two major ordeals at large public events, both within less than a decade, she said: 'I don't want to go out again.' Patrick Milligan, 25, from Wigan told the newspaper: 'We all had the best day of our lives watching the parade and then it was like a tsunami within about five minutes of the parade finishing. It was horrific. The car just swerved into the crowd at speed and everyone was screaming. 'We now know our families are okay but at the time, I had no idea if my brothers or sisters were under the car. My nan's 84, so we were all fearing the worst.' Dan Ogunshakin, another off-duty BBC reporter who witnessed the incident while attending the parade, told the broadcaster: 'What had once been an atmosphere of celebration and joy and happiness suddenly turned into fear and terror and disbelief.' Liverpool FC said the club was in 'direct contact with' police and said its 'thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident'. Well-wishes flowed from other Premier League clubs, including Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City. Commending the 'remarkable bravery' shown by police and other emergency services in responding to the incident, Sir Keir Starmer said: 'The scenes in Liverpool are appalling – my thoughts are with all those injured or affected.' The prime minister added: 'Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror. The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. 'Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.'
BreakingNews.ie
27-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Witnesses describe ‘terror' amid Liverpool parade ramming horror
Dozens were injured on Monday after a car ploughed into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club's recent Premier League title. With most people enjoying a spring break holiday, up to 1 million Liverpool fans had lined the streets to celebrate the team as they moved through the city centre with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus. Advertisement The parade began at Allerton Maze south of the city before embarking on a 10-mile route over three-and-a-half hours ending with a finale on the Strand in the city centre. Chaos erupted on Water Street, about a mile before the parade's endpoint. The bus had only recently passed the attendees when a vehicle rammed into the crowds, witnesses reported. Footage of the incident, which was circulating online on Monday, appeared to show the car speed up as it veered into pedestrians on both sides of the street, passing a Hooters restaurant at one point, with people knocked to the floor off the windshield, falling to the ground and darting out of the way to avoid harm. Advertisement A 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was arrested, Merseyside Police confirmed. One onlooker, Matthew O'Carroll (28), saw the car approaching the top of Water Street. He said the vehicle went past a parked police van at a 'decent' speed and that the driver was beeping as he went through the crowd. Meanwhile, witness Mike Maddra told the PA news agency the 'car turned left, mounted pavement, come towards us and runs towards the buildings'. Advertisement He said: 'we got out the way and it was speeding up'. Mr Maddra said he thought he saw two people being hit and added, 'it looked deliberate'. Social media video also showed angry fans converging on the vehicle as it came to a stop, smashing windows before police intervened. Harry Rashid (48), from Solihull near Birmingham, said you could 'hear the bumps' as the driver rammed spectators. Advertisement He described how crowds began trying to smash the car windows, causing the driver to stall for about 10 seconds, before putting his foot down again and hitting more people. Witnesses told The Guardian the whole ordeal lasted 20-30 seconds, and the first victim was thrown 'about 20 feet' in the air. Police and emergency personnel dealing with a road traffic accident on Water Street near the Liver Building in Liverpool. Photo: Danny Lawson/PA Dan Ogunshakin, an off-duty BBC reporter attending the parade, told the public broadcaster he saw people hitting the car before it reversed and then 'it suddenly accelerated forwards', straight towards the surrounding crowd. 'What had once been an atmosphere of celebration and joy and happiness suddenly turned into fear and terror and disbelief,' he said. Advertisement Police said the car eventually stopped at the scene and the man was detained. BBC reporter Matt Cole described how police officers exited a 'squad' of armed police vehicles with rifles and medical packs and began running to the scene. Daniel Jones (28) told The Sun newspaper that police restrained people who were 'smashing' the car. 'They were ripping the register plate off,' he said. 'The back window was broken when the (driver) was still in it.' Twenty-seven people were taken to hospital, and a further 20 were treated at the scene. Nick Searle, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service chief fire officer, said four people who were trapped under the car, including a child, were rescued by firefighters. At a press conference, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said the 'horrific incident' was not being treated as terrorism. North West Ambulance Service's Dave Kitchin and Merseyside Police's Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims, during a press conference (Danny Lawson/PA) Liverpool Echo reporter Paddy Edrich said local Italian restaurant Riva was used as a makeshift triage centre. 'People inside Riva are being treated by paramedics. Some have bandages around their heads and limbs,' he said in a post on X. 'Staff in the restaurant appear to be providing fluids to those being treated and the emergency services.' Other casualties were spotted being taken away by ambulance to nearby hospitals. A heavy emergency services presence remained in place for hours afterwards, with police cars, fire engines and ambulances remaining on the street. A large blue tent was erected on Water Street, with two fire engines parked in front. Liverpool FC said in a statement that the club was in 'direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade'. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident,' a post on X read. 'We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.' Well-wishes flowed from other Premier League clubs, including Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City. In a statement, British prime minister Keir Starmer said: 'The scenes in Liverpool are appalling — my thoughts are with all those injured or affected.' He later added: 'Tonight, I have spoken to Steve Rotheram about the terrible events in Liverpool and the remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services. 'They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events. World Man arrested after car ploughs into crowds of peop... Read More 'Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror. 'The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. 'Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.'
Belfast Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Witnesses describe ‘terror' amid Liverpool parade ramming horror
With most people enjoying a spring break holiday, up to 1 million Liverpool fans had lined the streets to celebrate the team as they moved through the city centre with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus. The parade began at Allerton Maze south of the city before embarking on a 10-mile route over three-and-a-half hours ending with a finale on the Strand in the city centre. Chaos erupted on Water Street, about a mile before the parade's endpoint. The bus had only recently passed the attendees when a vehicle rammed into the crowds, witnesses reported. Footage of the incident, which was circulating online on Monday, appeared to show the car speed up as it veered into pedestrians on both sides of the street, passing a Hooters restaurant at one point, with people knocked to the floor off the windshield, falling to the ground and darting out of the way to avoid harm. A 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was arrested, Merseyside Police confirmed. One onlooker, Matthew O'Carroll, 28, from Runcorn, saw the car approaching the top of Water Street. He said the vehicle went past a parked police van at a 'decent' speed and that the driver was beeping as he went through the crowd. Meanwhile, witness Mike Maddra told the PA news agency the 'car turned left, mounted pavement, come towards us and runs towards the buildings'. He said: 'we got out the way and it was speeding up'. Mr Maddra said he thought he saw two people being hit and added, 'it looked deliberate'. Social media video also showed angry fans converging on the vehicle as it came to a stop, smashing windows before police intervened. Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihul, said you could 'hear the bumps' as the driver rammed spectators. He described how crowds began trying to smash the car windows, causing the driver to stall for about 10 seconds, before putting his foot down again and hitting more people. Witnesses told The Guardian the whole ordeal lasted 20-30 seconds, and the first victim was thrown 'about 20 feet' in the air. Dan Ogunshakin, an off-duty BBC reporter attending the parade, told the public broadcaster he saw people hitting the car before it reversed and then 'it suddenly accelerated forwards', straight towards the surrounding crowd. 'What had once been an atmosphere of celebration and joy and happiness suddenly turned into fear and terror and disbelief,' he said. Police said the car eventually stopped at the scene and the man was detained. BBC reporter Matt Cole described how police officers exited a 'squad' of armed police vehicles with rifles and medical packs and began running to the scene. Daniel Jones, 28, told The Sun newspaper that police restrained people who were 'smashing' the car. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. 'They were ripping the register plate off,' he said. 'The back window was broken when the (driver) was still in it.' Twenty-seven people were taken to hospital, and a further 20 were treated at the scene. Nick Searle, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service chief fire officer, said four people who were trapped under the car, including a child, were rescued by firefighters. At a press conference, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said the 'horrific incident' was not being treated as terrorism. Liverpool Echo reporter Paddy Edrich said local Italian restaurant Riva was used as a makeshift triage centre. 'People inside Riva are being treated by paramedics. Some have bandages around their heads and limbs,' he said in a post on X. 'Staff in the restaurant appear to be providing fluids to those being treated and the emergency services.' Other casualties were spotted being taken away by ambulance to nearby hospitals. A heavy emergency services presence remained in place for hours afterwards, with police cars, fire engines and ambulances remaining on the street. A large blue tent was erected on Water Street, with two fire engines parked in front. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Liverpool FC said in a statement that the club was in 'direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade'. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident,' a post on X read. 'We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.' Well-wishes flowed from other Premier League clubs, including Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City. In a statement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: 'The scenes in Liverpool are appalling — my thoughts are with all those injured or affected.' He later added: 'Tonight, I have spoken to Steve Rotheram about the terrible events in Liverpool and the remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services. 'They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events. 'Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror. 'The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. 'Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.'
Daily Record
27-05-2025
- Daily Record
Five key Liverpool parade questions as car rams into crowds of fans celebrating
Around a million Liverpool fans reportedly flocked to watch their team move through the city centre with the Premier League trophy - but chaos soon unfolded. Dozens of people, including four children, were injured on Monday after a car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans who were celebrating the club's recent Premier League title. Up to a million Liverpool fans spilled on to the streets to celebrate their team as they travelled through the city centre with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus, reports the Mirror. The parade started at Allerton Maze south of the city before setting off on a 10-mile route over three-and-a-half hours and ending with a finale on the Strand in the city centre. However, chaos soon unfolded on Water Street, around a mile before the parade finished. The car rammed into crowds only moments after the bus passed attendees. Footage of the shocking incident, which we have deemed to distressing to publish - appeared to show the car speed up as it veered into pedestrians on both sides of the street. Revellers were knocked to the floor off the windshield, falling to the ground and darting out of the way to avoid harm. What happened on Water Street on Monday? Witnesses at the scene claim the driver were beeping as the car travelled as a "decent speed" along Water Street. Mike Maddra said the vehicle mounted the pavement and scores of people ran to get out of the way. The car then smashed into people, coming to a halt when furious onlookers coverged on the motor. Windows were smashed and police interevened. Witnesses told The Guardian that the whole ordeal lasted around 20-30 seconds, and the first victim was thrown "about 20 feet" in the air. Dan Ogunshakin, an off-duty BBC reporter who attended the parade, told the public broadcaster he saw people hitting the car before it reversed and then "it suddenly accelerated forwards", straight towards the surrounding crowd. Police confirmed the car eventually stopped at the scene and the man was detained. What else have police said? Merseyside Police confirmed a 53-year-old white British man, from the Liverpool area, was arrested. They believe he was the driver of the car. At a press conference, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said the "horrific incident" was not being treated as terrorism. She added: "The car stopped at the scene and a 53-year-old white, British man from the Liverpool area was arrested. "We believe him to be the driver of the vehicle. Extensive inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision, and it is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media. "I know that people will understandably be concerned by what has happened tonight. What I can tell you is that we believe this to be an isolated incident, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it. The incident is not being treated as terrorism." How many people were injured? A whopping 47 people were injured and 27 were taken to hospital. Of those, four children were hurt, with one suffering serious injuries. Dave Kitchin, from North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), also said 20 people were treated at the scene. "We can confirm that our teams treated 20 patients at the scene for minor injuries, and these did not need hospital treatment. Twenty-seven patients in total were taken to hospital by ambulance, and we believe two of those, including one of the children, have sustained serious injuries," Mr Kitchin continued at the press conference. The nature of the injuries - including the severe ones - have not been confirmed at this stage. It is thought that among those with serious injuries are a group of people who were pinned under the vehicle. Firefighters dashed to free the group, which included one child. What has Liverpool FC and the Premier League said? The Premier League has said it has been in touch with Liverpool to offer their support. A statement read: "Everyone at the Premier League is shocked by the appalling events in Liverpool this evening, and our heartfelt thoughts go out to all those injured and affected. We have been in contact with Liverpool FC and have offered our full support following this serious incident." And Liverpool have confirmed they remain in contact with Merseyside Police. The Reds 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." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. What has the Prime Minister said? In a statement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "The scenes in Liverpool are appalling - my thoughts are with all those injured or affected." He added: "Tonight, I have spoken to Steve Rotheram about the terrible events in Liverpool and the remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services. "They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events. Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror. "The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool."
The Journal
27-05-2025
- The Journal
'Terror and disbelief': Liverpool wakes up to aftermath of car ramming that injured 47 people
DOZENS OF PEOPLE were injured yesterday after a car ploughed into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club's recent Premier League title win. With most people enjoying a spring break holiday, up to 1 million Liverpool fans had lined the streets to celebrate the team as they moved through the city centre with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus. The parade began at Allerton Maze south of the city before embarking on a 16 km route over three-and-a-half hours ending with a finale on the Strand in the city centre. Chaos erupted on Water Street, about a mile before the parade's endpoint. The bus had only recently passed the attendees when a vehicle rammed into the crowds, witnesses reported. Footage of the incident, which was circulating online yesterday, appeared to show the car speed up as it veered into pedestrians on both sides of the street, passing a Hooters restaurant at one point, with people knocked to the floor off the windshield, falling to the ground and darting out of the way to avoid harm. A 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was arrested, Merseyside Police confirmed. One onlooker, Matthew O'Carroll, 28, from Runcorn, saw the car approaching the top of Water Street. He said the vehicle went past a parked police van at a 'decent' speed and that the driver was beeping as he went through the crowd. Meanwhile, witness Mike Maddra told the PA news agency the 'car turned left, mounted pavement, come towards us and runs towards the buildings'. He said: 'we got out the way and it was speeding up'. Maddra said he thought he saw two people being hit and added, 'it looked deliberate'. Social media video also showed angry fans converging on the vehicle as it came to a stop, smashing windows before police intervened. Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihul, said you could 'hear the bumps' as the driver rammed spectators. He described how crowds began trying to smash the car windows, causing the driver to stall for about 10 seconds, before putting his foot down again and hitting more people. Witnesses told The Guardian the whole ordeal lasted 20-30 seconds, and the first victim was thrown 'about 20 feet' in the air. Dan Ogunshakin, an off-duty BBC reporter attending the parade, told the public broadcaster he saw people hitting the car before it reversed and then 'it suddenly accelerated forwards', straight towards the surrounding crowd. 'What had once been an atmosphere of celebration and joy and happiness suddenly turned into fear and terror and disbelief,' he said. Police said the car eventually stopped at the scene and the man was detained. BBC reporter Matt Cole described how police officers exited a 'squad' of armed police vehicles with rifles and medical packs and began running to the scene. Advertisement Daniel Jones, 28, told The Sun newspaper that police restrained people who were 'smashing' the car. 'They were ripping the register plate off,' he said. 'The back window was broken when the (driver) was still in it.' Twenty-seven people were taken to hospital, and a further 20 were treated at the scene. Nick Searle, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service chief fire officer, said four people who were trapped under the car, including a child, were rescued by firefighters. At a press conference, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said the 'horrific incident' was not being treated as terrorism. Liverpool Echo reporter Paddy Edrich said local Italian restaurant Riva was used as a makeshift triage centre. 'People inside Riva are being treated by paramedics. Some have bandages around their heads and limbs,' he said in a post on X. 'Staff in the restaurant appear to be providing fluids to those being treated and the emergency services.' Other casualties were spotted being taken away by ambulance to nearby hospitals. A heavy emergency services presence remained in place for hours afterwards, with police cars, fire engines and ambulances remaining on the street. A large blue tent was erected on Water Street, with two fire engines parked in front. Liverpool FC said in a statement that the club was in 'direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade'. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident,' a post on X read. 'We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.' Well-wishes flowed from other Premier League clubs, including Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City. In a statement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: 'The scenes in Liverpool are appalling — my thoughts are with all those injured or affected.' He later added: 'Tonight, I have spoken to Steve Rotheram about the terrible events in Liverpool and the remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services. 'They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events. 'Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror. 'The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. 'Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.'
