A man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after people were allegedly attacked with a 'form of pepper spray' at a multistorey car park at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 3, police have said. Armed officers were called to the scene at around 8.11am on Sunday after reports of an assault.
The Metropolitan Police said a group of men allegedly sprayed the substance before leaving the scene. The London Ambulance Service treated 21 patients, including a three-year-old girl, with five taken to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.
Police believe the incident involved the theft of a suitcase from a woman by four men in a car park lift. Commander Peter Stevens stated: 'At this stage, it's understood that a woman was robbed of her suitcase by a group of four men, who sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray in her direction. This occurred within a car park lift, with those in the lift and surrounding area affected by the spray.' He added that the individuals involved are thought to be known to each other, and the incident is believed to be isolated.
Witness Tom Bate, 27, described a burning taste in his throat after landing from the US. 'The second they left people started coughing one by one. There must have been about 50 of us in the lobby waiting for the lifts and it was really eerie because everyone started coughing, including me,' he said. Armed police officers later arrived, and Bate was kept in the car park for over an hour.
The London Fire Brigade provided specialist assistance before being stood down at 10.30am, and the ambulance service stood down at 10.58am. Heathrow remained open but advised passengers to allow extra time. Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 1803 7 DEC.
