Four children are among the 27 people who rushed to the hospital after a vehicle plowed into an audience in Liverpool center under the club’s Premier League Victory Parade.
A child and an adult were seriously injured, while 20 others were treated on stage for easier injuries, taking the toll for those injured to almost 50.
Four people are still “very, very ill in the hospital” after the incident, Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram told BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday morning.
A 53-year-old man, whom the police described as white, British and from the Merseyside area, was arrested on stage for the incident at 1 p.m. 18 Monday, when the Merseyside police said they think he is the driver. The force does not treat the incident as terror related.
Recordings circulating online seemed to show a vehicle speed as it turned into pedestrians on both sides of the crowded street.
Witnesses described that watching a gray people’s carrier run through the crowd before angry spectators tried to crush the windows. An eyewitness, Natasha Rinaldi, said she could hear “screams and screams”. She said to Sky News, “It was a terrible scene.”
Dan Ogunshakin, an off-duty BBC reporter who attended the parade, said to the TV station: “What had once been an atmosphere of party and joy and happiness suddenly became fear and terror and disbelief.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Stormer condemned the incident and called the scenes “shaking” when he sent a message of unity and said the city “stands together”.
Scene on Water Street this morning as police cordon stays in place
On Tuesday morning, a Politordon remained in place on Water Street.
A large police car was parked in front of a blue tent on the road and officers were stationed along the street.
Empty bottles and cans sprinkled the road and a Liverpool flag was attached to the top of the traffic lights.
The strand had been reopened for traffic as usual.
Tara Cobham27 May 2025 08:40
Community leaders question why the incident happened
After last night’s news, people are now questioning how and why it happened.
On BBC Merseyside this morning, some have asked how the vehicle was able to access Water Street.
Liverpool West Derby -MP Ian Byrne is among those who are now questioning why it took place.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool, said the Merseyside police now needed the time and space to complete his investigation.
Alex Ross, in Liverpool27 May 2025 08:30
See: Scene with destruction after Liverpool FC Parade Crash
See: Scene with destruction after Liverpool FC Parade Crash
Waste was stranded over Liverpool’s Water Street on Tuesday (May 27) after a car plowed into an audience under Liverpool’s Premier League Victory Parade Monday. Four children were among about 50 people wounded in the incident with a young seriously injured. The “horrible incident” was not treated as terrorism after the arrest of a 53-year-old man on the scene, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said. She urged people to refrain from sharing “worrying recordings” from the incident online, but called for videos to be transferred to the police. The strength said the suspect was the driver of the car, white, British and from the Liverpool area.
Tara Cobham27 May 2025 08:20
Photos from the stage this morning police show police among scattered garbage
Tara Cobham27 May 2025 08:14
Local radio listeners calling up in tears
Local radio station BBC Merseyside focuses on yesterday’s news this morning.
The station is playing live reporting when the incident took place and talked to community leaders this morning.
Some listeners, unaware of the tragic events yesterday, wake up to hear the news for the first time.
Presenting Kevin Duala says some call up tears.
Alex Ross, in Liverpool27 May 2025 08:11
Four people still ‘very, very sick in the hospital’ after incident, says mayor
Four people are still “very, very ill in the hospital” After the incident in Liverpool on Monday night, the city’s city metro mayor said.
Steve Rotheram told BBC Radio 5 live: “The actual incident in Water Street will live with these people for all the wrong reasons, and this is where we really have to focus our minds.
“There are still four people who are very, very ill in the hospital, and of course we hope they pull through very, very quickly.”
Tara Cobham27 May 2025 08:06
Minister condemns ‘completely tragic scenes’ in Liverpool
The Education Secretary has hailed the relief services for their work in Liverpool and condemned what she said was “completely tragic” scenes.
“We were all shocked at what we saw and I will start by paying tribute to the relief services for their phenomenal response to the ground, and also of sending my thoughts to all those affected by what has taken place,” Bridget Phillipson said.
In a speech with Sky News, she added: “I also want to pay tribute to the community for everything they have done so far to pull together to support each other about what should have been a day of real joy and party.”
The Education Secretary also defended the police’s operational independence, in the midst of questions as to why the force decided to announce that the driver was a white British man so shortly after the incident.
“This is always the question of the police in terms of operational police work and decision making, and it is not for politicians to get ahead of it. It is true that the police can make these decisions, operational, regardless of politicians,” said Mrs. Phillipson.
Political Correspondent Millie Cooke27 May 2025 07:59
Education Secretary refuses to be drawn on the police’s decision to reveal details of man arrested
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said she will not “judge” on the Merseyside’s decision to reveal details of the identity of the man arrested after a car plowed into a quantity under Liverpool’s Premier League Victory Parade.
When asked about the police, “changed tack” she said to Times Radio: “These are operational questions for the police, and it is for the police to decide how they will react.
“I don’t think it’s right for politicians to make decisions about it, but I just want to add that the police were quickly on stage and responded to what was a really terrible incident.
“And I pay tribute to the first responders, police and other relief services for their enormous courage, for everything they have done, but also to society in the way they contract in the light of this tragedy.”
She added: “As I understand it, the police had ensured that traffic controls were in place, but you will appreciate that I do not want to get into speculation at this time on what has happened.
“Of course, the police and others will make sure that a full investigation is understood in terms of what has happened now, but I currently believe that our thoughts and our focus should be on ensuring that the police are able to perform their jobs to perform the full investigation needed and also that those who receive treatment and support get everything they need from our amazing NHS work.”
Tara Cobham27 May 2025 07:41
Why the police rushed to share profile of arrested suspect
Police were unusually quick to give a description of the suspect they arrested, and described him as a 53-year-old white British man from Liverpool.
Although his name has not been released, these details came at a news conference just hours after the incident took place.
Dal Babu, a former Chief Superintendent of London’s Metropolitan Police, the BBC told the BBC that this was probably an effort to cool speculation on social media that the episode was an Islamist attack.
The same police force monitored the answer to the murder of three young girls in the nearby town of Southport last year, an incident that triggered days of rebellion, driven by speculation online about the striker’s identity.
Namita Singh27 May 2025 07:35
The incident came 10 minutes after Liverpool Team Bus went through the street
Eyewitnesses say the collision happened approx. 10 minutes after the bus with the Liverpool team had passed.
In the wake, a Reuters photographer saw members of emergencies that transported victims on stretcher of ambulances and dirt spread on the road.
An eyewitness to Monday’s incident giving her name when Chelsea told the BBC radio that people packed on the streets was only warned about the danger of screaming from the crowd. It allowed some to jump out of the way as the driver showed no sign of subsiding.
“With the upside, it was the only reason we looked up, and fortunately looked up and managed to jump out (off) the way in time,” the woman said.
The incident “threw a very dark shadow over what had been a happy day,” Liverpool’s city council leader Liam Robinson said on social media.
Liverpool last won the league title under the covid pandemic as the festivities were not allowed due to lockdowns.
Namita Singh27 May 2025 07:03