‘Noxious substance’ sprayed at staff in London Arabic store

Article content

Two employees at an Arabic grocery store in south London were assessed by paramedics Thursday after they were sprayed in the face with a “noxious substance” by a man.

Article content

The man, who was wearing a hood and had his face covered, entered Mona’s Fine Meats at 699 Wilkins St. at 4 p.m., owner Abdul Almestiri  said.

The man walked directly behind the meat counter and sprayed a man and woman working behind it while two customers were inside the store, Almestiri said.

Article content

“The woman is not that bad, but he (the man) got the bigger puff on his face, and he was struggling to breathe,” a staff member said. “We believe this was a targeted attack because of the store or the people here.”

After the man sprayed the employees, he left the store and ran through the parking lot. Video surveillance provided by another business in the plaza shows the suspect fleeing the store.

The store was closed after the employees were sprayed. Two London police officers were talking to staff, one of whom held a cloth to his face because he was exposed to some of the spray.

Sgt. Sandasha Bough, a spokesperson for London police, said two people were assessed by paramedics but not injured.

Police are investigating and will release more information Friday, she said.

Mona’s Fine Meats caters to London’s large Muslim community and sells Halal meat and Arabic style groceries. Halal food adheres to Islamic law as defined by the Qur’an.

Most of the store’s staff is from Libya, Almestiri said.

He said was scared after the incident, and the spray’s smell was “too much, and you couldn’t see anything.

“I don’t know (why it happened). He came, sprayed and left,” Almestiri said, adding that the man didn’t take any items or cash from the store.

“It was the first time (this happened),” said Almestiri, who has run the store for more than 10 years.

– with files from Free Press reporter Dale Carruthers

[related_links /

Share this article in your social network