Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 3 faced major disruption on Sunday after several people were sprayed with what police described as “a form of pepper spray” inside a multi-storey car park. One man was arrested following the incident, while officers continue to look for others involved.
Police and emergency teams reached the scene at 08:11 am local time, responding to reports of an argument between a group of men. The Metropolitan Police said the arrested man is currently in custody, and officers are working to identify and locate additional individuals who were part of the altercation.
Those affected by the spray were taken to hospital. According to a BBC report, none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening. Authorities emphasised that the incident appears to be isolated and is not linked to terrorism or any protest activity.
The situation caused travel disruptions around Heathrow, with the airport warning passengers to allow extra time before their journeys. In a statement, Heathrow said travellers should “allow extra time when travelling to the airport” due to ongoing police activity.
Met Commander Peter Stevens said initial investigations suggest the people involved were known to each other. “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,” he said. He added that officers responded quickly and that passengers could expect an increased police presence at the airport throughout the morning.
Videos shared on social media showed a large number of armed police officers, fire service vehicles, and an officer searching a detained man. The disruption also affected transport links to the airport. Both the Heathrow Express and parts of the Elizabeth Line were suspended earlier in the morning. National Rail later confirmed that services had restarted, though delays were still expected.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
