‘Shocking incident that could easily have led to multiple fatalities’
The Liverpool Community Independents group of councillors has written to the City Council’s Chief Executive Andrew Lewis council leader Liam Robinson to demand answers over Monday’s ramming attack on Liverpool FC fans celebrating their club’s Premier League win.
Independents group leader Cllr Alan Gibbons wrote to the pair:
To Andrew Lewis, Chief Executive
Please treat this message as a right to know request as a present member of Liverpool City Council and leader of my group.
Following the deeply concerning incident on Monday ,26th May, 2025 during the victory parade in Liverpool City Centre, when a vehicle was driven into a crowd of people on Dale Street and Water Street, I am writing to request urgent clarification and accountability regarding the public safety planning and execution for this event. While the prime responsibility is clearly with the alleged perpetrator, it is important to know whether sufficient measures were undertaken to protect the public.
Based on footage circulating on social media and mainstream news outlets, a number of critical questions arise surrounding the circumstances of the incident, the preparedness of the authorities, and the overall safeguarding of the public. I would appreciate full and transparent responses to the following:
Event Planning and Risk Assessment
Who was the lead agency responsible for the safety and security of the parade?
Was there a formal joint agency planning process involving Liverpool City Council, Merseyside Police, emergency services, and any other stakeholders?
If so, can I please see the minutes, under supervision if necessary.
• Were risk assessments carried out? If so:
1. Who conducted them?
2. Were vehicle-borne threats (accidental or deliberate) identified?
3. Were there any rehearsals, tabletop exercises, or simulations?
4. What specific measures were implemented to prevent unauthorised vehicles from accessing parade routes?
5. Was the event formally classed as a “major public gathering” and therefore subject to national guidance or protocols under the CONTEST or Martyn’s Law framework?
6. Did the Council consult the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) or equivalent safety oversight panel?
7. Who signed off on the final Event Safety Plan?
Policing and Stewarding
8. What agency or private contractor provided stewarding services on Dale Street/Water Street?
9. How many stewards and police officers were deployed in the immediate area of the incident?
10. Was there any shortfall in expected numbers due to resourcing, funding, or operational decisions?
11. Were crowd management protocols in place and enforced?
12. Why does footage appear to show no visible police presence in the vicinity at the time of the vehicle entering the area?
13. What was the contingency plan in the event of a vehicle breach, and how was it communicated to officers and stewards on duty?
Incident Details and Response
14. At what time was the incident first reported to emergency services?
15. What was the response time of Merseyside Police and other emergency responders?
16. Were any emergency or mass casualty protocols activated?
17. Was the area declared safe and secure after the incident, and who authorised the continuation or dispersal of the crowd? Why was Dale Street opened for traffic at that period of the day as there were still huge gatherings on the streets?
Lessons from Past Events
18. What lessons were previously drawn from large-scale events in Liverpool such as:
• The 2022 and 2023 Liverpool FC parades
• The 2017 terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena
• Recent protests or high-attendance gatherings
19. Were any recommendations ignored or not implemented during this parade?
20. What actions will now be taken to review safety practices, particularly with Martyn’s Law on the horizon?
21. How is Liverpool City Council working with national counter-terrorism bodies to ensure vehicle-based threats are prevented in high-density areas?
22. Will the Council commit to publishing a full incident report and lessons-learned review?
23. In 2013 the annual Beatles festival was cancelled on the grounds of safety and danger to the public. An estimated 240,000 attended the last Beatles festival over three days. Yet up to a possible million people were bottle-necked into the city centre in one day Were the same safety concerns acknowledged as to the concerns in 2013?
This incident was shocking and could easily have led to multiple fatalities. The public deserves both transparency and assurance that appropriate safeguards are in place for future events. I look forward to a detailed response.
Best wishes,
Cllr Alan Gibbons on behalf of the Liverpool Community Independent group
Gibbons told Skwawkbox that the group had waited until the alleged perpetrator was charged but that it was now time for answers:
We have waited until the driver of the vehicle was charged before raising our concerns. We feel it is now time for the process to begin by which questions will be answered about this crucial issue of public safety.
Merseyside Police have charged 53yo Paul Doyle, of the West Derby area of the city, with seven counts including wounding with intent, causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, attempting to cause GBH with intent and dangerous driving. UK media have presented Doyle, who is white, as a ‘lovely family man’ who goes to church and leads a scout troop, but have ignored his apparent political leanings evidenced by the presence of four far-right figures out of only eleven accounts he followed through his company account, of which he is the sole director, on Twitter/X.
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What i can’t understand is how several cars were allowed through after an ambulance. At any time they could have been stopped. There were snipers on the roofs too. Surely they saw it.
The daft man should never have drove forward and just stopped but people were Screaming to kill him so im not surprised he panicked. Absolutely horrendous for my city. However the press have gone out of their way to humanise the driver. Something that would never have happened had he been any colour other than white.
Today farcebook suspend both me and my husband. My husband for “account integrity” associated with my account.. Hhhhhhh. Facebook have absolutely no integrity at all. Another attack on an anti genocide account.
jillazzouz: “However the press have gone out of their way to humanise the driver. Something that would never have happened had he been any colour other than white.”
Yup, Anders Breivik comes to mind. Being extremely right wing helps too. Corpo-rat MSM coverage is always ‘sympathetic’ when the particular sociopath is hard-right.
In the case of Dylann Roof, the white supremacist who killed nine African American worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, he too was described by the MSM press as polite and well-mannered – oh, and dont forget the Israel Defense Forces, that’s “the most moral army in the world”.
Colour of skin might be a factor, but mostly it’s about class and politics I reckon.
Im a little shocked hes gone down the route of martyns law after the very serious, questions raised about that whole false flag event.
It strikes me that once upon a time any sound,competent journalist would have made it their mission to raise and get answers to the questions Cllr Alan Gibbons needs to ask nearly week later.
Neither i), local investigative journalism nor ii), (Liverpool City) council’s openness and probity seem good-enough or even acceptable on this. Thank heaven Liverpool Community Independent Group exists – Every Labour City Council needs one!
Leave Labour – “better is a Breeze” with Community Independents.