The Customer Service Director of rail operator First Capital Connect has said she was "both appalled and embarrassed" by an incident at London St Pancras station when a gay couple were told to stop being affectionate.
The incident occurred at around 6:30am on Sunday, March 30th.
A public announcement was made by a First Capital Connect staff member, directed at the gay couple, requesting "passengers please keep their hands to themselves and refrain from kissing."
A heterosexual passenger, Jean Lechmand, was so shocked at what he had heard that he complained to the train operating company.
"The behaviour of the gay couple was not lewd or lascivious," he told PinkNews.co.uk.
"In fact they were doing no more than any regular heterosexual couple does on a regular basis at train stations, on buses, in the streets and anywhere else loving couples happen to pass through.
"The announcement was not only out of line but hurtful and hateful. "
It was blatant discrimination against members of the public based on sexual orientation.
"Furthermore, it has the potential to cause a great deal of personal anguish."Mr Lechmand, who did not know the couple, later reported the incident.
He pointed out that the centrepiece of the £800m refurbishment of St Pancras station, which is now the terminus for Eurostar trains, is a 9m high sculpture of a couple kissing - a straight couple.
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