Arrest after suspected pepper spray assault at Heathrow Airport
London Ambulance Service says it treated 21 patients, with five taken to hospital
Last updated 7th Dec 2025
A man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after number of people were attacked with "a form of pepper spray" by a group of men at a car park at Heathrow Airport, police said.
Officers were called at 8.11am on Sunday to reports multiple people had been assaulted at the multi-storey car park at Terminal 3.
Armed police attended and found a number of people who had been sprayed with what the Metropolitan Police said is believed to be a form of pepper spray by a group of men who then fled the scene.
London Ambulance Service also attended and said it treated 21 patients, with five taken to hospital.
Their injuries are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening, police said.
In a statement on X, Heathrow Airport said its teams were also responding to the incident, with passengers advised to allow extra time when travelling to the airport and to check with their airline for any queries.
The man who was arrested remains in custody as police hunt for other suspects.
The incident is not being treated as terrorism, Scotland Yard confirmed.
Officers said there is some disruption to traffic but Terminal 3 remains open.
Commander Peter Stevens said: "At this stage, we believe the incident involved a group of people known to each other, with an argument escalating and resulting in a number of people being injured.
"Our officers responded quickly and there will be an increased police presence at Heathrow Airport throughout the morning to continue inquiries and ensure the safety of those in the area.
"We are not treating this incident as terrorism. I understand the public's concerns and would like to thank those in the area for their cooperation this morning."
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 101, quoting CAD 1803 7 DEC.