Heathrow Airport Pepper Spray Incident: Child Among 21 Treated, One Arrested After Terminal 3 Car Park Assault

Heathrow Airport Incident: Pepper Spray Attack Injures 21 in Car Park

A serious incident unfolded at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 3 multi-storey car park, leading to the treatment of 21 individuals, including a child, after what is believed to be pepper spray was deployed. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed one arrest in connection with the suspected assault, which prompted a significant emergency response.

Incident Details and Casualties

The alarm was raised at 08:11 GMT, as police and emergency services were called to the scene. The incident, described as an altercation between a group of people who were known to each other, quickly escalated, resulting in multiple injuries. While 21 people received medical attention, five required hospitalisation.

Police Response and Public Assurance

Authorities swiftly assured the public that the event was an isolated incident, not being investigated as terrorism or protest-related. Despite this, the immediate aftermath saw considerable disruption. The car park was temporarily closed, and rail services, including the Heathrow Express and parts of the Elizabeth Line, experienced suspensions. By 11:30 GMT, the car park had reopened, and rail services resumed, though the airport advised passengers to allow extra travel time and consider public transport due to residual road congestion.

Eyewitness Accounts of the Chaos

Witnesses recounted a tense and unsettling scene. Tom Bate, waiting for a lift, observed "young men dressed in black darting through the crowd" shortly before people began coughing and experiencing a burning sensation. He described the swift arrival of police as "amazing" and expressed relief that the incident was not terror-related, having initially felt caught in an attack. Another passenger, Fin Fraser, arriving from the US, likened the sight of armed police checking vehicles to a "James Bond movie," calling it a "surreal experience."

Disruption and Ongoing Investigation

Footage shared on social media depicted a large-scale police and fire brigade presence, with an officer seen searching a handcuffed individual. Airport staff were observed providing bottles of water to passengers affected by the delays, with one family reporting a three-hour wait for a shuttle to the long-stay car park from Terminal 3.

The investigation remains ongoing as police search for other suspects involved in the disturbance.