Key events
‘It was horrendous’: eyewitness describes incident
PA Media has some words from an eyewitness who was 10 ft away from the collision:
Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihull, was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters when he witnessed the collision. They were 10ft away.
He said: “The vehicle came to our right. It emerged from just right next to an ambulance, which was parked up. This grey people carrier just pulled up from the right and just rammed into all the people at the side of us.
“It was extremely fast. Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car.
Rashid described how crowds began trying to smash the car windows: “Then 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.
“Then my daughter started screaming and there were people on the ground. It looked clearly deliberate.
“They were just innocent people, just fans going to enjoy the parade. There were hundreds and thousands of us there because this is probably the busiest part of Liverpool.”
Rashid said: “Ambulances were already there. There was one right next to where this occurred, so there was a paramedic inside there.
“I just wanted my kids to get off the road regardless because I couldn’t trust whether there’s a follow-up attack or something like that. Because you are just exposed there on the pavement.
“I saw people lying on the ground, people unconscious. It was horrendous. So horrendous.”
Liverpool FC has issued a statement on the incident.
A spokesperson for the club 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 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.”
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… pic.twitter.com/xreiSqiEnL
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 26, 2025
Counter-terror police involved in investigation
Vikram Dodd
The Guardian understands that counter-terrorism detectives are part of the investigation after a car ploughed into pedestrians in Liverpool.
The investigation, at this stage, is being led by Merseyside police, which covers Liverpool. The force is being supported by the North West counter-terrorism unit as detectives attempt to establish why the car hit the pedestrians, who were in the area to celebrate Liverpool’s winning of the Premier League title.
The involvement of counter-terrorism officers in the early stages of the investigation is a precaution, as detectives try to establish any motive behind the collision and whether it was deliberate or accidental.
Police say 53-year-old white British man has been arrested
Merseyside police have released a statement saying the suspect is a “53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area”
Here is the full statement: “We would ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding tonight’s incident on Water Street in Liverpool city centre.
”We can confirm the man arrested is a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area.
“Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision.
“We would ask people not to share distressing content online but to send the footage or information directly to us @MerPolCC or pass on information by calling 101 quoting log 784.
”Information can also be passed on anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Opening summary
A man has been detained after a car collided with pedestrians in the city centre during Liverpool FC’s Premier League victory parade.
Details are still coming in but here is what he know so far:
Emergency services arrived on Water Street after Merseyside police were contacted just after 6pm on Monday with reports of the incident.
The car was stopped at the scene and a man was detained.
Footage showed police cordons in place around the heavily littered road, with a large police presence, ambulances and a fire engine also at the scene.
People were injured in the incident, with images capturing someone being taken away on a stretcher and a man walking with his arm around a police officer for support.
The prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, are being kept updated about events.
We will bring you the latest updates as we get them.
