The opening day of enhanced screening measures at Pearson Airport have been frustrating for the world-renowned owner of an antique violin said to be worth $10 million.

Ontario concert violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou says she arrived at Pearson for her flight to Brazil on Wednesday afternoon, carrying her “baby,” a 300-year-old wood violin which she does not put in checked baggage for obvious reasons.

Since the flight was scheduled to make a stop in Miami, Hou was told to go through the enhanced screening procedures launched today for all U.S.-bound passengers.

She told CP24 that as she entered the screening area, she asked Canadian Air Transport Security Authority staff if they could screen her in private, so that she could ensure her insured but likely irreplaceable violin would not be damaged.

But she says the screeners ignored her.

“They basically attacked my violin before I had a chance to do anything about it.”

She called the experience “traumatic.”

“While I appreciate what security agents are doing to protect us, I do think it’s also incredibly important for us to protect our humanity.”

She said Wednesday’s experience is the first time she’s had trouble with taking her violin through airport security in 20 years.

While she said she was upset by the encounter, she did not say whether the violin was damaged.

Hou said she is considering filing a complaint with CATSA.