This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/25/six-injured-after-car-hits-crowd-celebrating-eid-in-newcastle

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Six injured after car hits crowd celebrating Eid in Newcastle Six injured after car hits crowd celebrating Eid in Newcastle
(about 1 hour later)
Six people were taken to hospital with serious injuries following Eid celebrations in Newcastle after a woman attending the event drove into them.Six people were taken to hospital with serious injuries following Eid celebrations in Newcastle after a woman attending the event drove into them.
Three children were injured in what the local MP described as a “terrible accident”. Three children were injured in what the Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central, Chi Onwurah, said had been called a terrible accident.
Despite early fears from onlookers that the crash was a terrorist attack, police do not believe it was terrorism-related. Despite early fears from onlookers that the crash was a terrorist attack, Northumbria police said they did not believe the incident was related to terrorism.
The incident happened outside Westgate Sports Centre in the west end of Newcastle shortly after 9am on Sunday morning where hundreds of people had gathered to say Eid prayers to mark the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. Witnesses said prayers had ended but people were gathered in the car park afterwards. The incident happened shortly after 9am Sunday, outside Westgate sports centre in the west end of Newcastle where hundreds had gathered to say Eid prayers to mark the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.
The driver, a 42-year-old woman, was arrested at the scene and taken into police custody. A witness said she seemed shocked and that she said: “How could I do that today?” Witnesses said the prayers had finished and people had then gathered in the car park.
The six casualties were taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary. Two of the children were in paediatric intensive care and one adult was in the trauma high dependency unit on Sunday evening. The driver, a 42-year-old woman, was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. A witness said she seemed shocked and that said: “How could I do that today?”
The remaining three are believed to have serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said. The six casualties were taken to the Royal Victoria infirmary. Two of the children were in paediatric intensive care and one adult was in the trauma high dependency unit on Sunday evening.
Darren Best, assistant chief constable at Northumbria police, said: “At approximately 9.14am we received reports that a car had collided with pedestrians outside of Westgate Sports Centre, in Newcastle city centre. The remaining three were believed to have serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said.
“At that time a large number of people were in the area celebrating the religious festival Eid that is held to mark the end of Ramadan. Darren Best, assistant chief constable at Northumbria police, said: “At approximately 9.14am we received reports that a car had collided with pedestrians outside of Westgate sports centre, in Newcastle city centre. At that time a large number of people were in the area celebrating the religious festival Eid What we have established is that a 42-year-old female has been celebrating Eid with her family, she then got into her car and has collided with six people in the crowd.
“What we have established is that a 42-year-old female has been celebrating Eid with her family, she then got into her car and has collided with six people in the crowd. “We have no information to suggest this is terror related. However, this is a serious collision with multiple casualties, and extensive inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances around this tragic incident.”
“We have no information to suggest this is terror-related, however, this is a serious collision with multiple casualties and extensive inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances around this tragic incident.” Extra officers were on patrol to answer any questions or concerns from communities in the area, Best added. Family liaison officers were working with the affected families.
Extra officers are on patrol around communities in the area to answer any questions or concerns, Best added. Specially trained family liaison officers are working with the affected families. Mory Sanogo, whose brother-in-law was hit by the car, told the Chronicle: “I think the driver just lost control and she couldn’t stop the car. She was saying ‘how could I do that today?’”
Mory Sanogo, whose brother-in-law was hit by the car, told the Chronicle: “I think the driver just lost control and she couldn’t stop the car. She was saying: ‘How could I do that today?’” The incident occurred six days after a man drove a van into a group of Muslims near Finsbury Park mosque in London, killing one man.
The incident came six days after a man drove a van into a crowd of Muslims near Finsbury Park mosque in London, killing one. One of the worshippers in Newcastle told the Newcastle Chronicle what he saw. Asif Anwar, 29 said: “It was chaos, everyone was panicking, people just don’t know what is going on these days. Terrorism is what everyone was thinking straight away.”
One of the worshippers in Newcastle told the Newcastle Chronicle what he saw. The event, called Eid in the Open, had been organised by Newcastle Central mosque. It began at 7.30am Sunday, and was set to include food stalls and a bouncy castle.
Asif Anwar, 29 said: “It was chaos, everyone was panicking, people just don’t know what is going on these days. Terrorism is what everyone was thinking straight away.”
The event, called Eid in the Open, had been organised by Newcastle Central mosque. It began at 7.30am on Sunday morning, and was set to include food stalls and a bouncy castle.
In a statement on Facebook the mosque said: “Immediately after the Eid prayers when the people were starting to leave the venue, a car collided with pedestrians. The injured were immediately attended to by the emergency medical services and the police. All the injured have been taken to the hospital. We pray and hope that all those affected recover soon fully.In a statement on Facebook the mosque said: “Immediately after the Eid prayers when the people were starting to leave the venue, a car collided with pedestrians. The injured were immediately attended to by the emergency medical services and the police. All the injured have been taken to the hospital. We pray and hope that all those affected recover soon fully.
“We thank the emergency medical services, the police and over 100 volunteers from the mosque for their quick response to the incident. We were able to clear the area promptly ensuring there was no delay in the injured being attended to.“We thank the emergency medical services, the police and over 100 volunteers from the mosque for their quick response to the incident. We were able to clear the area promptly ensuring there was no delay in the injured being attended to.
“We urge everyone to please pray for all those affected. The police are investigating the incident at the moment and we will give an update as soon as we have more information.”“We urge everyone to please pray for all those affected. The police are investigating the incident at the moment and we will give an update as soon as we have more information.”
Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central, tweeted about the incident after attending the prayers. Onwurah tweeted about the incident after attending the prayers, saying: “So sad, I was at the prayers earlier and there were so much joy and unity. Thinking of those affected by what I am told was terrible accident.”
The MP said: “So sad, I was at the prayers earlier and there were so much joy and unity. Thinking of those affected by what I am told was terrible accident.”