What was meant to be a glorious day in Liverpool turned tragic on Monday when a car ploughed through a group of fans amidst the Premier League title parade, injuring 27 people, including four children. A child and an adult are still said to be in a serious condition.
As hundreds of thousands of supporters had gathered in Liverpool city centre to celebrate the club’s inaugural Premier League title, the incident took place. Some videos posted online show the moment of impact with fans being thrown into the air. According to eyewitnesses, the crowd became conscious of the danger only after screams were raised, and thereby some of them jumped away from the car’s path.
Upon identification of the driver, police arrested a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area. Authorities said the act is not considered terrorism-related and called the incident an isolated one. Angry fans tried to reach the suspect inside the vehicle but the police were quick to intervene.
“This has cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day,” said Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson.
