One man who was arrested following the alleged assault remains in custody, police said.
Police are continuing to investigate an assault at Heathrow Airport after more than twenty people were affected, including a three-year-old girl.
Officers were called at 08:11 on Sunday, 7 December, following reports of a group of people being attacked inside a multi-storey car park at Terminal 3.
Armed officers were dispatched immediately and arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of assault within nine minutes of the report. One man who was arrested following the alleged assault remains in custody, police said. Enquiries continue to locate further suspects.
The London Ambulance Service treated 21 people at the scene, with five taken to hospital. None of the injuries are believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.
Commander Peter Stevens said investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and speaking with witnesses to establish the full circumstances. “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,” he said.
“This occurred inside a car park lift, affecting others in the lift and surrounding area. Our officers are treating this as an isolated incident, with those directly involved known to each other.”
Witness Tom Bate told the BBC he had been waiting to be picked up from the car park when he saw “young men dressed in black darting through the crowd.” He said he felt a burning sensation at the back of his throat after they left, with other people nearby beginning to cough.
Police continue to hunt for additional suspects, but Scotland Yard has confirmed the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
Commander Stevens added that emergency services and Heathrow staff acted swiftly and were commended for their response to what was a worrying incident for passengers.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting CAD 1803 7 DEC.
