Thousands of Muslims march against Isis in London

Peaceful demonstrators remember victims of terror group on holy day of Ashura

Thousands of Muslims have marched through London to protest Isis and terrorism.

Peaceful demonstrators remembered victims of the terror group on Sunday, which also marked the holy day of Ashura.

People of all ages made their way from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, holding placards and banners that branded terrorists “enemies of Allah and humanity” and Isis “not Islamic, nor a state”.

Faiths Forum, one of the organisers, said more than 10,000 people attended two marches in central London and Holland Park, including the brother of aid worker David Haines, who was beheaded by Isis in 2014.

Addressing the crowd, Mike Haines said: “It is important that we react in a positive way against these hate-mongers. I mourn my brother every day. However he knew the risks of being a humanitarian worker.

“He and my family accepted those risks because he was doing important work, helping his fellow man regardless of creed, colour, race or religion.”

He added: “The callous murder of my brother, the bombing of a teenage concert in Manchester, the deplorable attack on a place of worship in Finsbury Park, the inexcusable name-calling of people based on their religion or colour – they all have one thing in common which is to incite hatred.”

Ayatollah Fadhil al-Milani, Senior Imam at the Al-Khoei Islamic Centre, told The Independent: "Thousands of faithful marched on the streets of London on Ashura. They did so to remind us of the human message of Imam Hussain and to stand in defiance of fear-mongering and hate.

"Hussain taught us to build social alliances and to embrace each other’s humanity, surely this is the most powerful vehicle to crush ideologies of hate."

David Haines was executed by the Isis militant known as Jihadi John in September 2014. He was the third Western hostage - and first Briton - to be beheaded by Islamic State in front of the eyes of the world.

Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram, the first and holiest month in Islam. It also marks the day the three Abrahamic religions believe Moses and the Israelites were saved from the Pharaoh by God parting the Red Sea.