Liverpool and Everton football clubs have united in response to a car ploughing into a crowd in the city, leaving several people injured.
Both clubs said they are supporting police in the investigation after the incident, which involved a vehicle driven by a man described by police as white and British.
Hundreds of thousands of supporters took to the streets to celebrate Liverpool’s Premier League win on Monday when a vehicle rammed through a crowd of fans on Water Street at 6pm.
Eyewitnesses said the driver of the car ‘put his foot down and drove through the crowd’ despite ‘screams and shouts’ from terrified fans.
Several people were injured and a 53-year-old British man has been arrested, Merseyside Police have confirmed.
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Liverpool FC said on X: ‘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 our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.’
Responding to Liverpool’s post, Everton added: ‘Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this serious incident in our city.’
The Premier League also released a statement on the ‘shocking and appalling events in Liverpool’.
‘Everyone at the Premier League is shocked by the appalling events in Liverpool this evening, and our heartfelt thoughts go out to all those injured and affected,’ they said.
‘We have been in contact with Liverpool FC and have offered our full support following this serious incident.’
Liverpool fan Harry Rashid was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters when he witnessed the collision.
‘It happened about 10ft away from us,’ he told PA. ‘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.
‘My daughter started screaming and there were people on the ground. I saw people lying on the ground, people unconscious. It was horrendous. So horrendous.’
Confirming the arrest of a 53-year-old man, Merseyside Police said they were investigating the ‘circumstances leading up to the collision’.
‘We would ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding tonight’s incident on Water Street in Liverpool city centre,’ a spokesperson said.
‘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.’
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had been celebrating the club’s Premier League title win before the incident on Water Street.
The Liverpool squad travelled around the city on an open-top bus, 24 hours after lifting the Premier League trophy.
Arne Slot’s side became English champions almost a month ago but had to wait until the final day of the season to get their hands on the trophy.
After lifting the Premier League trophy in his first season in England, Slot said: ‘It’s always special to win something, but at certain clubs maybe a little bit more.
‘I experienced this at Feyenoord where the fans are so passionate, and it’s the same and more over here.
‘I don’t think you expect anything like this. If you look at the Premier League in the past few seasons, it was always a race to the end – two or three teams competing to the last day.
‘To be part of it was already nice, let alone to win it.’
More to follow…
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