Pepper Spray Attack at Heathrow: One Arrest, Search Ongoing

A pepper spray attack believed to have been carried out by a group of men at a multi-storey car park at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 3 left multiple people injured at 8.11am. The Metropolitan Police said the suspects fled the area, armed officers were deployed to the scene and one man was arrested on suspicion of assault, while efforts to trace the other suspects are continuing.

The London Ambulance Service declared the incident a “significant case” and dispatched a full deployment of resources. The injured were taken to hospital; their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing. The London Fire Brigade said it was called at 8.14am to assist at the incident near Terminal 3 and that firefighters remain at the scene.

Metropolitan Police Commander Peter Stevens said that, based on initial assessments, the incident is thought to have started as an argument between people who knew each other and escalated, resulting in multiple injuries. He added that police officers responded quickly and that there would be an increased police presence around Heathrow Airport throughout the morning.

The incident caused disruption to both road traffic and rail services in the area. While Terminal 3 remains open, Heathrow has advised passengers to allow extra time to reach the airport and to contact their airlines with any questions about their flights. Delays were reported on the Elizabeth Line and the Piccadilly Line, and National Rail said that although lines to Heathrow had reopened, it would take time for services to return to normal. Delays of up to 10 minutes and some cancellations were expected to continue until 11.45am.