A Muslim couple who were racially abused by a woman on a Sydney train say they want their abuser charged.

Footage posted online shows a woman racially abusing the couple, Khalida Hafeez and Hafeez Ahmed Bhatti, on a train to Sydney Airport on Thursday.

• Woman defends Muslim couple

The vision was uploaded by 23-year-old Stacey Clark, who told ABC News she was catching a train home when she noticed an elderly woman begin speaking to Ms Hafeez, who was wearing headscarf, and Mr Bhatti.

“The lady next to me was saying things like ‘all the people that were dying were because of the Muslims in the world and look what’s happening overseas’,” she said.

Ms Clark said the woman continued by saying: “Read the newspapers, why are you following this religion for, why do you wear things like that so you can marry a man who’s going to go marry a six-year-old?”

Today Mr Bhatti told the ABC’s 7:30 program he had spoken to New South Wales Police about the incident after police urged them to come forward.

“It’s frustrating that the lady generalised that all Muslims are, Islam is actually hate [sic] but my attitude towards that lady is that I kept myself silent,” he said.

“My wife was with tolerance and patience, was actually the act of presenting that this is Islam, we have tolerance, we have patience.

“We have love for everyone, love even for those people who hate us.”

Mr Bhatti said when the woman touched his wife he was worried.

“Then she started this thing, that’s more terrible for me, for my wife,” he said.

“She starts swearing and she says that you rape girls and things like that.

“If I am here and it’s my understanding that Australia is a free country, it’s equal for everyone.

“If someone with white skin can travel easily without any harm and concern why don’t I?

“And this is a little bit of a question mark for me even because this is a very developed, educated country.

“Why is this happening for the minority groups?

“That is a hope for me and for many others who wish to come to Australia, that in coming days, in future, Australia will be more welcoming than now.”

Racist rant made reference to Islamic State

In the video, Ms Clark can be heard telling the elderly woman to leave Ms Hafeez’s dress alone.

“She wears it for herself, OK,” she said in the video.

“She wears it because she wants to be modest with her body, not because of people like you who are going to sit there and disrespect her.”

The older woman can be heard mentioning beheadings, the Sydney siege and suggesting Ms Hafeez was an “ISIS supporter”.

Ms Clark said she was not going to intervene until she realised no-one else was asking the woman to stop the abuse.

“They were looking, then just turning away, putting their heads down, and I thought, if I don’t say something no-one’s going to,” she said.

“They thanked me when they got off the train, they said thank you for standing up for us.

They’ve also messaged me on Facebook, thanking me again and they’ve put up a few posts.

“I’m grateful that he came and found me on Facebook because I did want say a few more things to him, which I have in-boxed him privately and we’ve spoken.”

Ms Clark said she had since been accused of going against her race and culture by sticking up for the couple.

“I’ve been going through some of the comments and it’s really just not nice to see,” she said.

Especially people that live in Sydney. We need to stop doing this to people we don’t know.

Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane from the Australian Human Rights Commission said Ms Clark did the right thing.

“One of the most powerful things that anyone can do is to send a message that abuse is not acceptable,” Dr Soutphommasane said.

“When people abuse others and that is met by silence it can embolden them to do it again.”

He said Australians should treat all fellow citizens and visitors respectfully.

“It’s always disappointing to see people being subjected to harassment or abuse in public places,” he said.

“It’s important that everyone who lives here or visits here receives a fair go and is treated [with] decency and respect.”