A MAN threatened to stab rail passengers for being gay on a packed train after Brighton Pride.

He shouted that all homosexuals were paedophiles and should be killed, witnesses said.

Freelance journalist Benjamin Butterworth was sitting metres away from the man on the busy 5am train to London on Sunday and filmed part of the incident on his phone.

Mr Butterworth said: “It was the train back from Pride so everyone had glitter on, were holding pride flags, and were wearing short-shorts.

“He started shouting how we were all poofs and faggots.

“Then he started talking about how he had two children and he didn’t want gay people to be around his kids because they’re all paedophiles.

“After a while he said he was going to stab every gay person on this train.

“The train was packed so you could hardly move everyone was laying down on the floor.”

Pride revellers were subjected to the abuse for around 30 minutes before a man was arrested by British Transport Police at Clapham Junction.

A passenger even pulled the emergency stop handle to bring the train to a halt during the homophobic tirade, Mr Butterworth said.

In video footage of the incident recorded by Mr Butterworth, the man can be heard saying: “Why are you so angry ’cause I’m calling you a faggot?”.

Mr Butterworth said: “I’m a happy gay man and confronted homophobes but because of the threat of a knife there was no way of doing that.

“I’ve never been as scared as that before.”

Mr Butterworth said: “He had his hands down his trousers implying that he had a knife.

“He started yelling at the train ‘if you’re a real man come fight me and I’ll stab you and claim self-defence.”

“He didn’t seem drunk, he was dressed as though he was going to work.

British Transport Police said: "We are aware of a video on social media which appears to show a man making homophobic comments towards passengers on a train.

“We were called at 5.53am on Sunday, August 5, following reports of homophobic abuse towards passengers on a train bound for London Victoria station.

“Officers met the train and a 28-year-old man was arrested for a public order offence. He has been released under investigation.

"Officers are viewing the footage and making enquiries to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

"Anyone who witnessed the incident should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference 107 of 5/8/2018.