Man arrested after pepper‑spray incident at Heathrow
A man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after a pepper‑spray attack injured dozens at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 car park on Sunday morning, police said.
Police received the first call at 08:11 and closed the multi‑storey car park, delaying trains and prompting the Heathrow Express and parts of the Elizabeth line to suspend services until the area was secured.
Witness Tom Bate, waiting for a lift, said “young men dressed in black darted through the crowd” before a cloud of spray hit commuters, causing coughing and a burning sensation in his throat.
“It was an amazing thing to see the police running into danger,” Bate added, expressing relief that officials ruled the incident out as terrorism.
Social‑media footage showed armed police, fire engines and an officer handcuffing a suspect while other men were searched, confirming a large‑scale response.
Another traveller, Fin Fraser, who arrived from the United States, recounted that armed officers knocked on his car window, ordered him to roll down, and inspected the interior, describing the scene as “surreal… like a James Bond movie”.
In total, twenty‑one people received treatment for injuries, five of whom were taken to hospital, while investigators continue to search for additional suspects.
Heathrow Airport has urged passengers, including those from Ghana, to allow extra time, check with airlines and use public transport, as road congestion persisted after the incident.
Airport staff handed bottles of water to stranded passengers; one family reported waiting three hours for a shuttle to the long‑stay car park, despite normal 15‑minute intervals.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the case is being treated as an isolated assault, not a terrorism or protest‑related event, and the car park was reopened by 11:30 GMT. Police investigations remain ongoing.
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