Forest Hill: Train passenger stabbed after man shouted 'I want to kill a Muslim'

A man who allegedly shouted about wanting to 'kill a Muslim' before stabbing a fellow train passenger in south-east London has been arrested.

A huge police operation was put in place following reports of a man with a knife "ranting" and threatening passengers at Forest Hill station.

Emma Pinder told Mirror Online: "The man came running out of the station with a knife and everybody started running and screaming.

"He was shouting: 'Whoever is Muslim, I will kill you.' He was looking for anybody that was Muslim. Everybody was running and screaming. He was walking up and down the street for about 15 minutes.

"The looks on some people's faces, they looked terrified and very scared."

A second witness, Richard, told LBC Radio the man with a knife first approached a woman wearing a hijab on the train. Richard added: "He brandishes a knife towards her and says 'I'm not going to kill me a Muslim today. I want a Muslim man.'"

Another witness, via social media, also described how the man said he wanted to kill Muslims.

Police have now confirmed a 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm (GBH) and a second man in his 40s has been taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Police added they are not treating the incident as terrorism-related at this time.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Paul Langley said: "This was a serious assault on a man in broad daylight and we are aware that other passengers may have seen what happened or been threatened themselves.

"We have spoken with many witnesses from the train but if you saw what happened and haven't yet contacted police, please do so as soon as you can."

A British Transport Police spokesperson said: "Officers are appealing for information following a serious assault at Forest Hill railway station.

"We were called to the station at 1.18pm, after receiving reports that a man had been assaulted on a train. The man, who is in his 40s, was taken to hospital with injuries consistent with having been stabbed. He remains in hospital in a serious, but not life threatening, condition.

"A 38-year-old man from London was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. He remains in police custody."

Network Rail said the incident is causing disruption to journeys between New Cross Gate and Sydenham, with delays expected for the rest of the afternoon (12 December).