Car hits Liverpool fans; several hurt

A car plowed into a crowd of football fans celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title victory on Monday, injuring several people as police detained a 53-year-old man.

Witnesses reported people being knocked over as a dark-colored people carrier swerved through huge crowds. Tens of thousands had gathered to watch the English team’s victory parade.

An AFP journalist at the scene saw at least four people taken away on stretchers.

"It was extremely fast," said Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihull, near Birmingham, who had come to see Liverpool players parade the trophy through the city in an open-topped bus.

"Initially we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of the car," he told reporters.
"It was horrible and you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people."

Other eyewitnesses described hearing screams and seeing an angry crowd surround the vehicle before police arrived.

Merseyside Police called for calm and said the arrested man was "a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area."
"Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision," a spokesperson added.

Emergency services responded quickly. Cordons were put in place, and a fire engine was seen at the scene.

North West Ambulance Service said its teams were working closely with others on site.
"Our priority is to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible," a statement read.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident.
"The scenes in Liverpool are appalling," he wrote on X. "My thoughts are with all those injured or affected."
"I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident," he added.
"I'm being kept updated on developments and ask that we give the police the space they need to investigate."

Liverpool's football history has been marked by tragedy. In 1989, 97 fans died in a stadium crush during a game in Sheffield. In 1985, 39—mainly Italian fans—were killed when a wall collapsed during disturbances between Liverpool and Juventus supporters at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.