Andrew Lawrence has faced significant criticism and the cancellation of a scheduled performance following a joke he made about the recent Liverpool victory parade crash.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, resulted in 79 people being injured—including four children—when a vehicle drove into crowds of football fans on Water Street. Hours after the tragedy, Lawrence posted a controversial joke on social media, writing: “To be fair, if I was in Liverpool, I’d drive through crowds of people to get the f**k out of there as well.”
In response, Caddies Southend, the venue set to host Lawrence’s comedy night, announced the cancellation of the event. The organisers issued a statement condemning the joke and expressing their support for those affected by the incident: “We do not condone or support the comment that has been made online, and we send everyone impacted by the tragic events in Liverpool our support and prayers.”
This is not the first time Lawrence has attracted controversy over his remarks. In July 2021, following England’s defeat to Italy in the Euro finals, he sparked outrage by tweeting, “all I’m saying is the white guys scored.” When criticised, he responded sarcastically, apologising that “black guys are bad at penalties.”
Following the recent backlash, Lawrence accused the venue of “losing their courage” but expressed his intention to reschedule the show at a different location later in the year. He wrote: “Understandable, but disappointing. I will reschedule for later in the year at a different venue Southend, sorry for the inconvenience, have a great day.”
The Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance condemned Lawrence’s comments, describing him as “an embarrassment to the comedic profession.” Sharing his post on social media, the organisation called for him to be banned from performing in Liverpool, calling the joke “absolutely disgusting.”
The joke was posted just hours before police confirmed that several victims remained hospitalised two days after the crash. Among those injured were four children, including one who was reportedly trapped underneath the vehicle.
A 53-year-old man has been arrested and is currently facing charges including attempted murder, drug driving, and other dangerous driving offences in connection with the incident.
Related Topics