Six people have been treated for injuries after an attack with a noxious substance thought to be acid outside a busy shopping centre in Stratford, in London‘s east.
Police and emergency services were called to the area of the Westfield shopping centre at around 8pm, after reports of a group of men spraying a substance.
One man has been arrested in connection with the incident, however, officers say that they are not treating the attack as terror-related at this time.
According to The Guardian, the area was crowded with shoppers and revellers, and witnesses at the scene say that they saw an argument break out amongst a group of people.
One 28-year-old man, identified as Hossen, said that he saw one of the victims of the attack run into the bathroom of a fast food restaurant to “wash acid off his face.”
“There were cuts around his eyes and he was trying to chuck water into them,” he added.
An official statement from the Metropolitan Police gave some further details of the incident:
Police were called just before 20.00hrs on Saturday, 23 September to the area around Stratford Shopping Centre to reports of a group of males spraying what is believed to be a noxious substance. London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade have attended.
A number of people have been reported injured at different locations — believed to be six people. We await further details. One male has been arrested on suspicion of GBH. Officers remain on scene. A cordon is in place. Inquiries continue.
