A mother said she felt 'helpless and vulnerable' after a council worker shamed her in the middle of a packed waiting room when she asked where she could breastfeed her son.
Soraya Zaccaria was waiting for her appointment at a Southwark Council service point on Walworth Road in the south London borough when 22-month-old Cailean, who is allergic to cow's milk, began crying.
The packed waiting room had no available seats so the mother-of-three asked a male employee where she could breastfeed her crying toddler - but says she was told off by him.
The 41-old said: 'He shouted, 'you can't breastfeed here, not in front of people!'
Soraya Zaccaria (pictured with her son) was waiting for her appointment at a Southwark Council service point when 22-month-old Cailean, who is allergic to cow's milk, began crying
'He got close to my face while I was holding my crying son.
'Cailean has a cow's milk allergy which is why I still have to breast feed him.
'I felt vulnerable and shamed, feeling shamed was the worst part.'
The stay-at-home mother resorted to trying to find a bench outside, but on a bitter December day, it was too cold.
However she said the argument with the man resumed when she returned inside the council building, on December 11.
Ms Zaccaria said she felt 'helpless and vulnerable' after a council worker shamed her in the middle of a packed waiting room
She added: 'I went back in, asked how to make a complaint and asked for the manager.
'He said there was no reason for me to make a complaint.'
But then member of the public jumped to her defence.
She said: 'A woman came over to us and told him that by law I was allowed to breastfeed, it's under the 2010 Equality Act.
'He began arguing with her and another council worker called
