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UAE couple treated 'horribly' at London Eye for speaking in Arabic
By Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter
Dubai: A UAE national couple were singled out for "horrible" treatment by security guards when they visited one of London's top tourist attractions, it has been claimed.
Dubai couple Saida Hussain and her husband Dr Mahmoud Al Wathaifi were "humiliated" in front of other visitors to the London Eye because a guard overheard them speaking in Arabic.
Officials at the London Eye have described the claims as "ludicrous" and insisted that they never stop people from entering because of their racial origins.
Saida, 60, and her 74-year-old husband were on holiday visiting Saida's brother Syed Hussain, an Indian who has lived in the UK for 30 years, when they went to the London Eye.
The three, who had queued up for an hour to visit the attraction, said a security guard became hostile to the party after Saida began speaking to her husband, a medical doctor, in Arabic.
Syed's bag was searched and he was told he would not be allowed to take it on to the attraction.
Saida, who has four children and five grandchildren, told Gulf News, said: "I was speaking in Arabic because I was tired and it's my mother tongue. He heard it and didn't like it. He started screaming at us. He didn't respect us elderly people. We felt very bad. It was very, very horrible and we felt insulted."
Syed, 65, told Gulf News he was "very, very saddened by the incident", which happened earlier this summer.
"They tried to label us terrorists. We were not respected because my sister was speaking in Arabic.
"They humiliated them [Saida and Mahmoud] in front of hundreds and hundreds of tourists," he said.
Syed was led away and had to deposit his bag. After this, when the three were queuing again, Syed said they were subjected to further scrutiny.
"The security guard pushed his hand into my pocket looking for a knife. I cannot understand such humiliation," he said.
Syed made a complaint after the incident and British Airways, which runs the London Eye, offered him two free tickets.
Liz Edwards, public relations manager for the London Eye, told Gulf News "everyone is welcome" at the attraction, which has been visited by 24 million people "from all over the world".
"The London Eye will never refuse a guest entry based on nationality, but will refuse entry to customers carrying restricted items. Mr Hussain was asked to leave his restricted items prior to boarding the London Eye," she said.
She said Syed had to deposit his bag because it contained drinks that were not supplied by the attraction.
"All guests at the London Eye undergo security checks prior to boarding. We regret that Mr Hussain feels that his party were refused entry to them for speaking Arabic, as we find this claim ludicrous.
"The London Eye will not be changing any policies or procedures, as we believe we always act in the best interest of our guests," she said.
gulfnews
By Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter
Dubai: A UAE national couple were singled out for "horrible" treatment by security guards when they visited one of London's top tourist attractions, it has been claimed.
Dubai couple Saida Hussain and her husband Dr Mahmoud Al Wathaifi were "humiliated" in front of other visitors to the London Eye because a guard overheard them speaking in Arabic.
Officials at the London Eye have described the claims as "ludicrous" and insisted that they never stop people from entering because of their racial origins.
Saida, 60, and her 74-year-old husband were on holiday visiting Saida's brother Syed Hussain, an Indian who has lived in the UK for 30 years, when they went to the London Eye.
The three, who had queued up for an hour to visit the attraction, said a security guard became hostile to the party after Saida began speaking to her husband, a medical doctor, in Arabic.
Syed's bag was searched and he was told he would not be allowed to take it on to the attraction.
Saida, who has four children and five grandchildren, told Gulf News, said: "I was speaking in Arabic because I was tired and it's my mother tongue. He heard it and didn't like it. He started screaming at us. He didn't respect us elderly people. We felt very bad. It was very, very horrible and we felt insulted."
Syed, 65, told Gulf News he was "very, very saddened by the incident", which happened earlier this summer.
"They tried to label us terrorists. We were not respected because my sister was speaking in Arabic.
"They humiliated them [Saida and Mahmoud] in front of hundreds and hundreds of tourists," he said.
Syed was led away and had to deposit his bag. After this, when the three were queuing again, Syed said they were subjected to further scrutiny.
"The security guard pushed his hand into my pocket looking for a knife. I cannot understand such humiliation," he said.
Syed made a complaint after the incident and British Airways, which runs the London Eye, offered him two free tickets.
Liz Edwards, public relations manager for the London Eye, told Gulf News "everyone is welcome" at the attraction, which has been visited by 24 million people "from all over the world".
"The London Eye will never refuse a guest entry based on nationality, but will refuse entry to customers carrying restricted items. Mr Hussain was asked to leave his restricted items prior to boarding the London Eye," she said.
She said Syed had to deposit his bag because it contained drinks that were not supplied by the attraction.
"All guests at the London Eye undergo security checks prior to boarding. We regret that Mr Hussain feels that his party were refused entry to them for speaking Arabic, as we find this claim ludicrous.
"The London Eye will not be changing any policies or procedures, as we believe we always act in the best interest of our guests," she said.
gulfnews
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