A man believed to be in his 20s has been arrested after causing alarm by brandishing an imitation sniper rifle on a London Underground platform while dressed in full combat gear. The incident occurred at Whitechapel Station along the Elizabeth line, where the man was filmed assembling and aiming the large weapon as trains arrived at the platform.
The British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed that the individual was traveling to MegaCon Live, a film and comic convention at London’s ExCeL, when the incident took place on January 25. He was arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and possession of an offensive weapon. The man has since been released on bail.
Footage Sparks Concern Among Commuters
Video footage shared on social media showed nervous commuters moving away from the man as he knelt on the platform to assemble the weapon. The scene sparked widespread concern online, with many questioning why the man was openly handling such a realistic-looking prop in a public space.
One social media user commented, “Why is everyone so chill? Because if I’d seen that, I wouldn’t know if it was real or not… I’d be out of there!” Another added, “The problem is he isn’t at comic-con, he’s at an underground station. He’s also readying up as the train rolls into the platform.”
Police Warn Against “High-Jinx Gone Wrong”
Ian Drummond-Smith, Assistant Chief Constable for Network Policing at BTP, described the incident as “high-jinx gone wrong” and warned that such behavior is “a sure-fire way to get yourself arrested and potentially shot.” He confirmed that the weapon was not real and that the man was arrested at his home address, where the imitation firearm and other items were seized.
Martin Grayton, BTP’s Armed Policing Chief Inspector, emphasized that the force receives similar reports “every year around Comic Con” from people alarmed by weapons being carried on trains. He urged attendees of such events to keep prop weapons concealed while traveling to avoid causing unnecessary disruption and alarm.
Advice for Event Attendees
In a statement, Grayton said, “For your sake and that of everyone else on your train, no matter how unrealistic you think they look, please keep your prop weapons out of sight while traveling.” He also reminded the public that police assess and respond to every call about a weapon, which can divert resources from more critical incidents.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of mishandling imitation weapons in public spaces, particularly in a city like London where security concerns remain high.
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