Hundreds of mourners from many faiths, and none, held a vigil at Forest Hill station last night to condemn Islamophobia less than 48 hours after a man was stabbed in an apparently racially-motivated attack.

A knifeman reportedly shouted, “I want to kill me a Muslim”, before stabbing a man on board a train on December 12.

The victim suffered a punctured lung, and wounds to his head and torso, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday (December 14).

From yesterday: Man accused of Forest Hill train stabbing appears in court

A crowd of about 100 people, young and old, and including community activists and representatives from various faith groups, gathered at Forest Hill station last night, at a vigil organised by the South East London branch of Stand Up To Racism.

The national group lead a campaign against racism, and is supported by leading political figures such as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and major trade unions such as Unite, Unison and the NUT.

Speakers from Stand Up To Racism’s South East London branch, Disabled People Against Cuts, addressed the vigil as mourners held placards reading, ‘Fight racism and Islamophobia’, and ‘Stop racist attacks’.

They were also joined by Father Bates from St Hilda’s and St Cyprians Church in Crofton Park, Shakeel Begg, Imam at Lewisham Islamic Centre, local teacher and daughter of a holocaust survivor, and Michaela Loebner, and Gurbakhsh Garcha, a former Mayor of Lewisham sitting on the council's multi faith committee SACRE.

From yesterday: Young Muslims hand out roses at Forest Hill station 'to spread peace' after train stabbing

The peaceful vigil followed five young Muslims from the Dialogue Society and the Mevlana Rumi Mosque handing out roses as a gesture of peace at the station yesterday.

Naima Omar, from Stand Up To Racism said: “I am proud to see so many people come out tonight to oppose islamophobia. We cannot let our communities be divided.”

Amina Mangera, chair of newly formed Lewisham branch of the Unite the Union Community said: “My Union SE London Unite Community Branch stand in solidarity against all victims of racist and Islamophobic attacks and all hate crimes, which have no place in our society.”

Adrian Brown, 38, who lives at Honor Lea Hostel, a residential care facility for recovering drug and alcohol addicts in Brockley Rise, Forest Hill appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday.

He is charged with attempted murder, making racist threats, possession of an offensive weapon and assault by battery.

There is a national demonstration against racism, opposing scapegoating, against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism and welcoming refugees in central London on United Nations Anti-Racism Day (March 18).