Liverpool’s rapturous post-player-exit trophy parade in the summer celebrated their first Premier League championship victory. Then the day turned tragic, breaking the cusp of celebrations that had been so close. The Liverpool city council estimated that approximately half a million supporters gathered along a 10-mile route through the city to witness the parade. Fans journeyed from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, and Thailand to be a part of this groundbreaking experience.
On game day early in the week, Reds supporters piled into all the right spots. It was clear they didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see their favorite players. By 8 a.m., the excitement was palpable. Supporters crowded along the perimeters to get a glimpse of new captain Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Birmingham New Street train station was brimming with Liverpool fans attempting to reach the city by mid-morning, eager to join the festivities.
The open-top bus carrying the Liverpool team made its way past the iconic Royal Liver Building at 5:41 p.m. As it moved, the capacity crowd broke out in the famous anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in appreciation for their team and this moment. Phase 4 – Arne Slot, Liverpool’s head coach, had seen enough and could hardly hide his delight. He announced that this day was “without question the number one day” of his coaching career.
“This is beyond what you can expect, what you can dream of maybe. This is unbelievable. I won a few things before and they were beautiful but this you cannot compare with anything.” – Arne Slot
On a day of reception, then, as former Liverpool managers Jürgen Klopp and Sir Kenny Dalglish acknowledged ecstatic fans from a balcony on dilapidated Mann Island. From the very first moment, the atmosphere was electric, full of laughter and cheers. The milestone hardly lasted before being tinged by tragedy on the other side of the state.
If just 25 minutes after the parade started, a speeding car plowed into a number of people on Water Street. The crash left four victims pinned under the vehicle, while many more lay injured on the ground around it. Emergency care providers were able to respond immediately to help those injured. Twenty-seven more were taken to area hospitals, including two, a child and an adult, who suffered life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses said about 20 to 30 victims were treated in the Riva Blu Italian restaurant on the street opposite the hospital. At the same time, other participants were helped for less serious injuries on site. Many others self-presented to hospitals on Merseyside later on in the day looking for treatment.
This testimony from a local Birmingham man encapsulated his experience. I’m no longer able to send any,” he wrote, summing up the mood that silenced that excitement like a bell tolling.
As the day progressed, as a protest measure, organizers switched off the projections heralding Liverpool’s title victory at the Royal Albert Dock. This shift produced an eerie counterpoint to the elation that had taken over the city just a few hours earlier.