The mayor of Liverpool has explained why authorities announced the nationality of a man arrested in connection with an incident yesterday (26 May) where a car was driven into a crowd in Liverpool city centre.
47 people have been injured, four of them children, after a car was driven into crowds of people on Water Street during Liverpool FC's title parade.
27 of those injured were taken to hospital and a further 20 treated at the scene, with two people having been described as 'seriously injured'.
Liverpool's mayor Steve Rotherham said this morning (27 May) that four people were still in hospital.
Merseyside Police arrested 'a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area' who they believe to have been the driver of the car, and the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
Mayor Steve Rotherham's support of the decision to reveal the suspect's ethnicity
Updating people on the situation this morning, Mayor Rotherham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there were 'still four people who are very, very ill in hospital' and they were 'hoping of course that they pull through'.
When asked whether this represented an increase on the two people said to be 'seriously injured' in hospital he said: "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."
He was also asked about the decision made by Merseyside Police to announce the nationality and ethnicity of the man arrested, and the mayor gave his support to the decision.
'The whole idea was put to bed'
"It was absolutely the right thing to do," he said. "If you have a look at social media already, within minutes of the incident being posted there was speculation.
"There were some nefarious groups trying to stir up some speculation around who was responsible for it... so the whole idea was put to bed."
Authorities have been very clear that speculation on the driver's identity and motives is not welcome, and the Liverpool mayor added: "There's a lot of speculation and that's part of the problem.
"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."
At a press conference last night, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said officers believe the man they arrested was 'the driver of the vehicle' and also called for people not to speculate.
She said: "Extensive inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision, and it is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media.
"I know that people will understandably be concerned by what has happened tonight. What I can tell you is that we believe this to be an isolated incident, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it."
Former Chief Superintendent at the Metropolitan Police Dal Babu told the BBC that the police releasing the nationality and ethnicity of a suspect this quickly was 'unprecedented', saying he thinks it was done to 'dampen down some of the speculation from the far right'.
Featured Image Credit: BBC
Joe Harker