Car hits pedestrians during Liverpool FC title parade; 47 injured, 1 detained

A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans in the city centre on Monday during the Premier League title celebrations in Liverpool, England, injuring injuring 47 people, including four children, according to police and eyewitness videos.

The incident occurred shortly after the club’s open-top bus parade had passed through the area, where tens of thousands of fans had gathered.

British police confirmed that a number of pedestrians were struck and that a man had been detained at the scene.

Merseyside Police said in a statement that the car stopped at the location and a man has been detained.

Video footage shows chaos

Unverified videos posted on social media appear to show a car accelerating through a large crowd, at one point swerving away from a densely packed section of the street. Other footage showed several individuals lying on the road after the vehicle passed, with bystanders and emergency personnel rushing to assist.

Large numbers of police quickly surrounded the vehicle, while angry fans were seen attempting to reach the driver.

A Reuters photographer reported seeing multiple ambulances at the scene and a tent erected by fire services, indicating a serious emergency response.

PM Keir Starmer condemns incident

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reacted strongly to the developments, calling the scenes "appalling."

"The scenes in Liverpool are appalling — my thoughts are with all those injured or affected," Starmer posted on X (formerly Twitter).

"I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident."

Ongoing investigation

Authorities have not yet confirmed the motive or whether the crash was intentional. The number of injuries remains unconfirmed at the time of reporting. Police have urged the public to avoid speculation and allow emergency services to carry out their work.

Celebrations draw over a million fans

Liverpool FC held a 10-mile open-top bus parade to mark its Premier League triumph. Massive crowds lined the streets, with Councillor John Hughes estimating that more than one million people attended — surpassing the 750,000 who gathered for the club’s 2019 Champions League celebration.

Despite police warnings, many fans climbed onto buildings, traffic lights, petrol stations, and rooftops to gain better views of the parade.

Van Dijk leads team amid raucous crowd

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk took charge on the open-top bus, directing the jubilant players as red smoke canisters lit up the scene. The bus, emblazoned with the slogan “Ours. Again,” moved slowly through the masses for a three-and-a-half-hour journey, finishing on the Strand in front of the iconic Liver Building.

Billionaire owner John W Henry, dressed casually in a red hoodie and poncho, was seen early in the parade, soaking in the atmosphere. The parade started relatively calmly at Allerton Maze before the crowd density increased dramatically towards the city center.

(With Reuters inputs)