LIVERPOOL, England. A celebration turned into chaos on Monday when a 53-year-old British man drove a gray minivan into a crowd of jubilant Liverpool football fans, injuring more than 45 people who had gathered to mark the team’s Premier League championship win.
According to police, the driver acted alone and the incident is not being treated as an act of terrorism. The man was arrested at the scene and is currently in custody. Authorities have identified him as white, in a move believed to prevent online speculation and the spread of misinformation.
Emergency services rushed to the site and transported 27 people to various hospitals, including two with serious injuries. Dave Kitchin of North West Ambulance Service treated twenty more for minor wounds on-site. Among the injured were at least four children. Firefighters had to lift the van to rescue four individuals, including a child, who were trapped underneath. A paramedic on a bicycle was struck but escaped injury.
“It has cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day for the city,” said City Council leader Liam Robinson during a late-night press briefing.
The tragedy occurred as the celebratory parade was winding down. Witnesses said the minivan suddenly veered onto the parade route, crashing into fans dressed in red Liverpool scarves and jerseys. One video shared on social media showed a man being thrown into the air upon impact, as the van continued to push through the crowd before coming to a halt.
Harry Rashid, a witness who was present with his wife and two young daughters, described the horrifying scene. “It was extremely fast,” he said. “Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people being knocked off the bonnet of a car.” He added that after an initial pause, the driver accelerated again and ran over more people. “It was horrible. And you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people.”
Rashid said the attack appeared deliberate. “My daughter started screaming, and there were people on the ground. They were just innocent people, just fans going to enjoy the parade.”
Peter Jones, who traveled from the Isle of Man for the event, said he witnessed people chasing the vehicle and trying to stop it. “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 said. “He then drove into people, police and medics ran past us, and people were being treated on the side of the road.”
Police are continuing an extensive investigation into the incident and have asked the public to refrain from sharing graphic content online or speculating about the motives behind the crash.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack, calling the scenes “appalling” and praised the emergency responders. “Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror,” Starmer said. “Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.”
Liverpool FC expressed its condolences in a short statement, saying its thoughts and prayers were with those affected. The Premier League also issued a statement expressing shock over the incident.
This is not the first time tragedy has struck Liverpool fans. The city still remembers the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, in which 97 fans lost their lives due to a stadium crush, an event long mired in controversy and a police cover-up. Fans were also denied a proper celebration when Liverpool last won the title in 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Despite rainy weather, Monday’s parade drew hundreds of thousands of supporters who lined the streets along the 10-mile route. The team, aboard two open-top buses emblazoned with “Ours Again,” was greeted by flares, flags, and cheers, a moment of triumph that, tragically, ended in horror.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
