A terrible incident happened yesterday as Liverpool was having their Premier League victory parade. According to reports, a 53-year-old man has been arrested after a car hit a number of pedestrians in Liverpool city centre. Eyewitnesses and videos shared on social media have shown the vehicle driving through a crowd as people scatter.
The state police say they are not treating the incident as terror-related. Police only define events as terrorism if they are considered to have been intended to influence the government or intimidate the public for the purpose of “advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause”.
It was reported that a child and some adults were injured. In a statement the force said: “We were contacted at just after 18:00 today, Monday 26 May, following reports a car had been in collision with a number of pedestrians on Water Street.”
“The car stopped at the scene and a male has been detained.” Police later said a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area had been arrested and that he was believed to be the driver. An ambulance service said 27 people had been taken to hospital for treatment, with two, including one child, seriously injured.
Another 20 people were treated for injuries at the scene. Four people including a child were lifted from beneath the car, Merseyside chief fire Nick Searle said. Liverpool FC said they are in contact with the police and its “thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident.”
