Liverpool Supporters Crowded Vehicles Up To 27 People Treated, Police Say Not Terrorism

JAKARTA - A total of 27 people were hospitalized, 2 of whom were seriously injured by a car crashing into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating the English Premier League title. Police said the incident was not terrorism-related.

A 53-year-old British white man from the Liverpool area, the driver of the vehicle that hit Liverpool supporters was arrested by the police.

When the car stopped, angry fans gathered there and began breaking the windows as police officers intervened to prevent violence against the driver.

"This incident is not considered terrorism," Deputy Police Chief Jenny Sims told reporters.

As most people are off work to celebrate the Spring Bank Holiday, hundreds of thousands of fans have gathered to watch the Liverpool team and their staff travel through the city center in open buses while carrying the Premier League trophy.

An eyewitness said the collision occurred about 10 minutes after a bus carrying the Liverpool team passed, British Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The incident "carried a very dark shadow on a pleasant day," Liverpool city council leader Liam Robinson said on social media.

After the incident, a Reuters photographer saw an emergency officer carrying the victim on a stretcher into an ambulance and debris scattered on the road.

The police gave a very quick description of the man they arrested.

Dal Babu, a former chief inspector at the London Metropolitan Police, told the BBC it was an attempt to cool social media speculation that the episode was a terrorist attack.