Liverpool fans told to go home as crowds gather again

Merseyside Police issued a dispersal order Friday as thousands of Liverpool fans flooded the streets for a second day in a row.

Police invoked a section of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, granting officers the power to clear out areas where members of the public are causing or are likely to cause a disturbance.

The mayor of Liverpool, Jon Anderson, tweeted a photo of the scenes unfolding at Pier Head, a popular spot on the city's waterfront, and urged supporters to go home.

Merseyside Police said the dispersal order, which covers the majority of Liverpool's city center, will remain in place until Sunday.

"We understand people want to celebrate Liverpool becoming Premier League champions for the first time in 30 years, and the time will come when fans can celebrate together with the team and applaud their achievement, but now is not that time," assistant chief constable Jon Roy said in a statement.

The crowds - which continued to grow 24 hours after Liverpool clinched the Premier League title - became unruly as day turned to night. Emergency services had to respond to a fire that broke out on the balcony of the Liver Building on Friday evening, according to The Liverpool Echo's Max Clements. A video posted on Twitter shows a group of fans aiming fireworks at the building.

The headquarters of rivals Everton are located on the seventh floor.

Anderson said he's considering a curfew to discourage further gatherings.

"People are drinking and causing problems and we just want to make sure that everyone stays safe," Anderson told The Liverpool Echo. "Large gatherings like these are still not something the city needs as coronavirus continues to be a real risk for us here."

Liverpool is considered one of the UK's hotspots for the coronavirus, reporting 1,680 cases and 544 related deaths during the pandemic, according to BBC News.

The UK alone has recorded more than 300,000 cases and more than 43,000 related deaths.

Under current lockdown conditions, groups are limited to no more than six people. The government is easing a number of restrictions July 4, with pubs and restaurants set to reopen and social distancing being reduced from two meters to one.