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The Mayor of Paris is demanding a black feminist festival in the French capital be banned, arguing that it prohibits white people.
The Nyansapo Festival, which is due to be held for the first time in July, describes itself as an "Afro-feminist movement that is active on a European scale".
The festival website states that it will be organised into separate areas, with 80 per cent of the festival to be reserved for black women only.
Another space will be for "black people of all genders" and another space will be "open to all".
The organisers of the event, The Mwasi Collective, say the purpose of the festival is to "build lasting strategies and solidarity and to share, exchange, and advance our struggles".
In a series of tweets Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said "I firmly condemn the organisation of this event in Paris 'prohibited to white people'."
"I am asking for this festival to be banned. I will refer the matter to the Prefect of Police," she wrote.
"I reserve the right to prosecute the organisers for discrimination."
French anti-racist and anti-Semitic organisations have also strongly condemned the festival, including LICRA (the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism).
It is understood the police have not been informed about the festival, which is scheduled to take place at Paris' La Generale performance art venue.
In a joint statement through La Generale, The Mwasi Collective said it had been "the target of a campaign of disinformation and fake news".
They said some anti-racist organisations had allowed themselves to be manipulated against them.
Topics: world-politics, france
First posted