Armed police swarm Heathrow Airport after multiple people pepper-sprayed in car park

Passengers faced major disruption at Heathrow Airport this morning, with trains suspended in both directions and armed police going from car to car ‘like a Bond film’.

‘Multiple people’ were assaulted in a multistorey car park, with police saying they were ‘sprayed with what is believed to be a form of pepper spray by a group of men who then left the scene’.

At lunchtime, people were still being advised to get the now-resumed trains rather than drive to the airport, as there is heavier traffic than normal.

Fin Fraser, a 21-year-old thermal engineer and football coach, told Metro it was ‘surreal’ to be trapped in his Uber for over an hour while he tried to get home to Richmond from the airport this morning.

He was heading out of the multistorey car park when cars were suddenly stopped from leaving following the incident at 8.11am.

‘Everything was locked off; you couldn’t get through any of the lights, and then police started running about,’ he said, estimating he was stuck in the car for over an hour, while dozens of police officers wearing ‘surgical gloves’ searched the area.

Rail and road services to the airport have now resumed, but footage he took earlier today shows the scale of the disruption, with speculation swirling that passengers had been ‘gassed’.

Fin, who had just flown back to London from Charlotte in North Carolina, told Metro: ‘[Police] started to look through every vehicle, asking everyone to wind their windows down to check who was inside. 

‘People who had started to get out were being shouted at to get back in their vehicles.’

He and his Uber driver were the only ones in the car, and ‘were both as shocked as each other’, with his driver comparing the situation to a Bond film. 

‘They seemed to get somebody two or three cars back from me and got him out of the car – they were shouting “armed police”,’ he said.

‘We saw somebody getting led down the ramp in cuffs, and then about 15 minutes from that we were allowed to get out, but even then there were police on each of the barriers looking in, and on the M4 junction.’

A man was arrested following the incident, which is not thought to be terror related, while police are still trying to trace the others involved.

Dr Paula Byrne, an author and Jane Austen biographer, posted a video on X of armed police searching up and down the multistorey car park, captioned: ‘My son gassed at London Heathrow’.

In replies, she added she was not sure what was happening as she had been sent the video, ‘but my son saw it unfold, three young men, everyone coughing, armed police everywhere.’

The Heathrow Express rail service was suspended in both directions with its website warning of ‘major disruption’, while part of the Elizabeth Line connecting to the airport was also suspended, although services have now resumed.

A spokesperson for Heathrow Airport said: ‘The incident at the multi storey car park in Terminal 3 has now been contained by the Metropolitan Police.

‘Congestion remains on surrounding roads following the incident which we are working hard to resolve as quickly as possible and we are advising passengers to use public transport.

‘There will be an increased police presence at Heathrow Airport to maintain the safety of people in the area and reassure the public.’

Commander Peter Stevens of the Met Police 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 enquiries 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.’

Victims were taken to hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.

Road links to the UK’s biggest airport were also disrupted this morning, with congestion remaining into the afternoon though the road has reopened.

National Highways posted on X: ‘A serious incident within the @HeathrowAirport Tunnel has resulted in the closure of the #M4 spur road southbound between M4 and J4A.’

Heathow’s flight status page does not show major delays to departures, although there are some delays, and flights to Miami and Charlotte in the US were cancelled.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called today to reports of an incident at Heathrow Airport. We have a number of resources on scene, and are caring for a number of patients.’

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: ‘We were called at 8.14am today to assist emergency service colleagues at an incident at a car park at Heathrow Airport.

‘Firefighters have been providing specialist assistance alongside multi-agency partners at the scene. The Brigade was stood down shortly after 10.30am.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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