Social media. That great modern courtroom where facts go to die and everyone’s an expert in counter-terrorism law, forensic psychology, and apparently, vehicle dynamics.

Following yesterday’s incident in Liverpool—where a man under the influence of drugs drove into pedestrians—social platforms lit up with a familiar cry: “Call it what it is—terrorism!”

Except… it isn’t.

Let’s Consult Actual Law for a Moment

According to the Terrorism Act 2000 (which, inconveniently, is more authoritative than Twitter threads), terrorism involves:

1. Serious violence or threats,
2. Designed to influence the government or intimidate the public,
3. With the aim of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause.

So unless the suspect was on a mission for some radical narcotics-based ideology (unlikely), this doesn’t qualify.

What Happened in Liverpool?

Police say the man was under the influence of drugs. No manifesto. No politically charged social media rants. No extremist flags, coded messages, or calls to revolution. Just reckless, drug-fuelled chaos. That’s not terrorism—that’s a serious crime. There’s a difference, and one of them doesn’t come with MI5.

Why the Distinction Matters (Even if It’s Boring)

Yes, we know—it’s much more satisfying to slap a big dramatic label on something horrible. But calling every disturbing incident “terrorism” doesn’t help anyone. In fact, it makes it harder to identify actual terrorist threats.

And no, the police and media aren’t “covering it up.” They’re using the legal definition. You know—like the one written into law by Parliament. Not the one trending on your feed.

Still Awful. Just Not Terrorism.

This was a horrifying event, and people are right to be upset. But the urge to rebrand every act of violence as terrorism dilutes the term and ramps up public anxiety for all the wrong reasons.

The Liverpool crash was tragic, criminal, and deeply upsetting. But it wasn’t terrorism.

Sometimes a reckless act is exactly that—however tempting it is to turn it into something bigger. Not everything terrible is part of a grand conspiracy. Sometimes, unfortunately, it’s just one person being disastrously irresponsible.