Eurostar has called for an investigation after French officials “intimidated and humiliated” a London university student caught up in industrial action centred on Brexit.
Camille Hulot, 19, was reduced to tears by three uniformed customs men at the Gare du Nord in Paris as she travelled back to England yesterday.
She was forced to wait in line for three-and-a-half hours and then told she might have to queue again as “punishment for being impolite”.
As the men surrounded her, yelling questions and telling her off, Ms Hulot was told to empty her luggage in front of a shocked crowd. “I was intimidated and humiliated,” said the King’s College student, who was travelling alone and “felt certain the men were trying to provoke me”.
She added: “All they wanted to do was hold people up so their journeys were disrupted … dishonestly using Brexit as an excuse. It is an absolute scandal.” Ms Hulot said they were guilty of an “abuse of power”.
A Eurostar spokeswoman said: “Clearly this behaviour is totally unacceptable and we have asked that French customs investigate this.”
The industrial action has entered its second week, as customs officials use Brexit to push for better pay and conditions, causing cancellations and delays. A spokesman for French customs agency Douane confirmed its staff were “reinforcing controls”.
