Summary

Media caption,

Watch: BBC Verify looks at how the incident unfolded

  1. The scene at Royal Liverpool University Hospitalpublished at 08:41 British Summer Time 27 May

    Yunus Mulla
    Reporting from Liverpool

    I'm outside the Royal Liverpool University Hospital - one of the four hospitals where ambulances took some of those who were injured.

    Others were taken to Arrowe Park, Alder Hey and Aintree Hospitals.

    We know that 47 people in total were injured. Some 20 people were treated at the scene; they didn't require hospital treatment, but another 27 did.

    We also heard the fire service describe how when they arrived, they found four people trapped under a vehicle.

    They had to lift that vehicle and those people who were injured were given treatment and taken to hospital here.

  2. Confusion as some people didn't immediately hear the newspublished at 08:31 British Summer Time 27 May

    A white man in a red jacket stares blankly into the camera on a street in Liverpool.

    John Gibbons, who hosts the Anfield Wrap podcast for Liverpool FC fans, was at a nearby hotel when the car drove into the crowd at Monday's parade.

    He realised the seriousness of the situation when he saw people suddenly begin to disperse and police making their way through.

    However, he could see some people who clearly hadn't heard the news yet and were still celebrating.

    "It’s hard enough getting signal in the centre anyway at the best of times," he tells BBC Radio 5 Live. "People didn’t necessarily know."

  3. The driver's identity - and four other things we don't yet knowpublished at 08:31 British Summer Time 27 May

    Adam Goldsmith
    Live reporter

    An inflatable field tent at the scene in Water Street near the Liver Building in Liverpool city centre after a 53-year-old white British man was arrested when a car ploughed into a crowd of people during Liverpool FC's Premier League victory paradeImage source, PA Media

    We've got reporters gathering reaction around Liverpool's Water Street this morning, and we'll continue to bring you testimony from those who witnessed yesterday's shocking events.

    In the meantime, let's take a look at some of the details that still remain unclear about the event that marred yesterday's celebrations.

    The driver's motive: Authorities say the incident is not terror-related, but Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram is warning against speculation as to why the driver ploughed through crowds on Water Street.

    The identity of the driver: Police confirmed yesterday that a 53-year-old white British man was arrested, but the authorities have not confirmed a name or released a picture.

    How the car was able to access a closed road: Police are investigating how a car was able to access a street that had been pedestrianised in order for Liverpool FC's trophy parade to pass by.

    Who the injured are: We know that 47 people were injured, with 27 of these people taken to hospital for treatment. Earlier, Mayor Steve Rotheram suggested four are "very, very ill in hospital".

    When Water Street will reopen: Police are continuing their investigations and the street remains closed off as a crime scene this morning.

  4. Crowds rocked car back and forth - eyewitnesspublished at 08:24 British Summer Time 27 May

    Police and emergency personnel dealing with a road traffic accident on Water Street near the Liver Building in Liverpool after a car collided with pedestrians during the Premier League winners parade. A man has been detained. Picture date: Monday May 26, 2025Image source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Police pictured after responding to the incident on Water Street

    BBC reporter and Liverpool FC fan Dan Ogunshakin witnessed the moment when the car ploughed into crowds yesterday at the parade.

    He was there with his friend and describes seeing the vehicle in the moments before the incident. Crowds of jubilant football fans surrounded the vehicle and began rocking it back and forth as well, as banging on it, Dan says.

    Moments later, the vehicle suddenly reversed, colliding with an ambulance behind it, he says, adding it then "shot forward", accelerating into bystanders.

    At that point, he tells BBC 5 Live's Breakfast show:

    Quote Message

    The atmosphere completely changed."

    Dan says he rushed to help people lying on the ground, including an older woman and a gentleman in a "flood of tears". Both he says were responsive.

    "No-one went to Liverpool expecting to be involved in something quite like that," he adds.

  5. Liverpool FC postpones further Premier League eventspublished at 08:19 British Summer Time 27 May

    Dan Roan
    BBC sports editor

    Along with the statement the club issued last night, Liverpool FC have also postponed a number of internal staff events celebrating the Premier League title win that had been planned for today.

    In an internal email sent last night, staff were also told that the club “will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities” and encouraged “to come together at this time to support each other”.

  6. Complete change in police communication following Southport attack - policing lecturerpublished at 08:16 British Summer Time 27 May

    A police officer works at a crime scene after an incident where a car plowed into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating their side's Premier League soccer title, in central Liverpool, BritaiImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A police officer makes notes at the crime scene in Water Street

    Merseyside Police has adopted a "complete step change" in sharing information with the public, former inspector Peter Williams tells the BBC.

    Williams, a lecturer from the Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies, says there's been a "shift" in police communication in the aftermath of last July's Southport attack, when three young girls were stabbed to death, and others were seriously wounded, at a Taylor Swift-themed children's event.

    Following the attack, Merseyside Police were criticised for providing little information to the public, which allowed speculation over the perpetrator's identity to grow among the public.

    Police said online disinformation on social media helped to spark the riots that took place in several parts of the UK following the attack.

    "It was no surprise to me last night that within an hour or so we got a statement to say what had happened," Peter Williams says.

  7. We come together and support each other - local MPpublished at 08:11 British Summer Time 27 May

    Police stand behind police tape, with debris strewn across the floorImage source, Reuters

    The Labour MP for Birkenhead, which lies across the River Mersey from Liverpool, says she’s “devastated” that what was a “wonderful day of joy and celebration had this at its end”.

    Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Alison McGovern says she’d been at the parade with her family and thanked the emergency services for their response: “The police and all those who were there to support people yesterday were incredible.”

    She adds: “Liverpool Football Club is a very special club, and Liverpool is a very special city. We are all thinking of those people affected. In the coming days, we’ll think about how we care and love those people who’ve been hurt, because this is what we do – we come together and support each other."

    McGovern also calls for people not to speculate about what happened online and asks anyone with video footage to send it to Merseyside Police.

  8. 'It happened literally right in front of my house'published at 07:59 British Summer Time 27 May

    Jonny Humphries
    Reporting from Liverpool

    Julia

    Julia Sesto lives in an apartment within the cordoned-off area on Water Street.

    She says it was "terrifying" what happened "literally right in front of my house".

    Julia says she was in the street but did not see the incident.

    This morning she was on her way to work in Bootle and had to give her name and details to a police officer to get past.

  9. Police will have whatever support necessary, education secretary tells BBCpublished at 07:50 British Summer Time 27 May

    Bridget Phillipson

    We've just heard this morning's first response from the government as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson speaks to BBC Breakfast.

    “What should have been a day of joy and celebration has been marred by these appalling events," she says.

    Phillipson pays tribute to the community and emergency services, praising the "bravery" of the first responders who rushed to help the injured on Water Street.

    And, Phillipson says the police will get "whatever support is necessary” as their investigation continues.

  10. The scene this morningpublished at 07:42 British Summer Time 27 May

    Jonny Humphries
    Reporting from Liverpool

    Media caption,

    View of Water Street, Liverpool, in the aftermath of a car ploughing into parade crowd.

    This is the view looking down Water Street from the Strand this morning - the cordon is still huge and extends right down onto Dale Street.

    Several journalists and camera crews are already set up here.

    A map locating Water Street in Liverpool
  11. 'We were in shock that we nearly got hit'published at 07:35 British Summer Time 27 May

    Chelsea was on Water Street "packed like sardines" after watching the parade and described to BBC Radio 5 Live's Tony Livesey how she jumped out of the way of the vehicle.

    "All of a sudden we heard beeping and screaming," she says.

    Quote Message

    As we looked up the car was coming directly for us."

    Chelsea

    "I grabbed my friend to jump out the way and she grabbed her daughter and it skimmed us."

    Chelsea says "it was centimetres away from us" and continues by adding "if the vehicle hadn't have been beeping it would have hit us".

    "We were in shock that we nearly got hit."

  12. Liverpool's Water Street still closedpublished at 07:30 British Summer Time 27 May

    Police tents surrounded by debris at the scene in Water Street near the Liver Building in Liverpool city centre after a 53-year-old white British man was arrested when a car ploughed into a crowd of people during Liverpool FC's Premier League victory paradeImage source, PA Media

    Water Street remains a crime scene this morning, as police continue to gather evidence to support their investigation into how a car was able to drive down a closed-off street during Liverpool FC's trophy parade.

    As you can see from these latest pictures, debris still litters the street, while police stand guard outside a number of tents.

    An inflatable field tent at the scene in Water Street near the Liver Building in Liverpool city centre after a 53-year-old white British man was arrested when a car ploughed into a crowd of people during Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade.Image source, PA Media
    Water Street sign with debris underneath itImage source, PA Media
  13. Four people still very ill in hospital - Liverpool mayorpublished at 07:26 British Summer Time 27 May
    Breaking

    Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram says there are "still four people who are very, very ill in hospital".

    "We are hoping of course that they pull through," he tells BBC Radio 5 Live.

    Asked whether that reflects an increase on the previous number of seriously injured - given by authorities last night as one adult and one child - he says: "No, not directly, but of course we're in liaison with the police and with the ambulance services.

    "Last night they had two gold command meetings - one was really late in the evening, so this morning I'll get some updates."

  14. Shocking contrast this morning after celebratory scenespublished at 07:16 British Summer Time 27 May

    Sally Nugent
    Reporting from Liverpool

    We are right on the waterfront. The pier head is in front of me.

    Behind me is the aftermath of the awful incident that happened yesterday.

    I just cannot emphasise the sense of shock here and the contrast between the scenes here yesterday.

    I was here at the parade, which was filled with joy. It could not have been a more joyous situation.

    For the day to end as it did was really shocking.

  15. 'It was like the wind was taken out of the sails'published at 07:14 British Summer Time 27 May

    Becky Padington
    BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast

    A white man in a green jacket looks at the camera on a Liverpool street.

    BBC Radio 5 live presenter Connor Phillips was at a bar about 500 metres from Water Street when the car ploughed into the crowd of bystanders on bank holiday Monday.

    He says he didn't realise at first what was happening, but the nature of incident became clear when he saw a news headline on television.

    “We worked our way back and started to recognise that something serious had happened," he says.

    He adds the atmosphere in the venue changed after news of the incident began to spread.

    "It was like the wind was taken out of the sails," he says.

    "At that point, most people put their pint down, went over to the screen and it was a weird moment where people gathered around the TV just shaking their head," he adds.

  16. Debris on the floor around Water Street symbolic of Monday's chaospublished at 07:09 British Summer Time 27 May

    Michael Perkins, BBC Radio Merseyside
    Reporting from Liverpool

    Water Street, Liverpool, littered with rubbish and police vehicle in front of police scene

    I’m standing near the Cunard Building, looking towards Water Street and towards Liverpool Town Hall.

    There was a yellow police van at the scene overnight, but it left just as I arrived this morning.

    There is currently blue and white police tape between the traffic lights and there's still a Liverpool flag fluttering in the wind.

    There is a very large white police van and several officers stood around.

    The debris on the floor is almost acting as a symbol to the chaos that took place in the area last night.

  17. Scene of devastation as clean-up operation yet to beginpublished at 07:04 British Summer Time 27 May

    Sally Nugent
    Reporting from Liverpool's Water Street

    I'm live in Liverpool city centre with BBC Breakfast, as we bring you the very latest information following the terrible scene last night.

    It's a scene of devastation behind me. You can see the police tape, the police investigation unit, and the blue police tent.

    The clean-up operation is yet to begin, as the crime scene is still preserved after the incident during Liverpool's victory parade.

  18. Liverpool mayor says speculation over driver is part of the problempublished at 06:58 British Summer Time 27 May

    Media caption,

    Liverpool City Region mayor dismisses speculation after car ramming

    Steve Rotheram is also asked about speculation that the events might be alcohol-related, given the number of bars that line Water Street.

    "There's a lot of speculation and that's part of the problem," the Liverpool City Region mayor responds.

    "All those things caused real consternation, but the police acted very, very quickly to put paid to some of that speculation.

    "I don't think it's worth us speculating on what might have happened to the driver," he adds.

    As a reminder, authorities have confirmed that they aren't treating the incident as terror-related.

  19. Prime minister has offered any help Liverpool needs - Liverpool mayorpublished at 06:56 British Summer Time 27 May

    Steve Rotheram says he has spoken to both the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who are both getting regular updates about the incident.

    "The prime minister says anything we wanted as a city to just let him know."

  20. No new details on police investigation, says mayorpublished at 06:48 British Summer Time 27 May

    More now from Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, who tells BBC Breakfast that there are "no new details" available yet about the police investigation.

    He continues by saying there is "detailed work" ongoing to determine how a car was able to enter a closed street at such speed.

    “Our thoughts really should be with the people who are in hospital at the moment," Rotheram adds.

    Steve Rotheram