‘Solution’ found for Paris black feminist Nyansapo festival

cartoon of black women from many backgrounds under a banner that says 'don't agonise, organise'Image copyright
Nyansapo Festival

Image caption

This cartoon is part of the billing for the “blackfeminist” festival on its own website

The mayor of Paris says a solution has been found with the organisers of a black feminist festival after she threatened to ban it on the grounds that it excluded white people.

The row over the Nyansapo Festival started after it emerged that 80% of the venue would be restricted to black women, allegedly in public areas.

Anne Hidalgo said the event “clarified” that public areas would be open to all.

But the organisers say they have been unfairly targeted.

They said it was part of the original plan that everyone would be allowed to enter public areas, while the restricted events, including a second area reserved to black people of any gender, would be held in private property.

But Ms Hidalgo said a in a series of tweets on the topic that a “clear solution” was reached only after a meeting with the collective Mwasi, organisers of the festival billed as “black feminist”, on Monday.

She described having a “firm” discussion with those responsible for the festival. However, Mwasi has disputed that, saying the events have not changed “one inch”, Le Monde newspaper reports (in French).

Ms Hidalgo said on Sunday that she reserved the right “to prosecute the organisers for discrimination” after the event was criticised by some French anti-racism organisations and the far-right National Front.

In an earlier statement (in French), the organisers said they had been “the target of a campaign of disinformation and fake news orchestrated by the extreme right”.

‘Solution’ found for Paris black feminist Nyansapo festival