German museum in racism row over exhibition partial ban on white people

Police officers are gathered in front of the Zeche Zollern museum in Dortmund, the focus of what social networks are describing as a racism scandal. 

The row centres around the exhibition 'This is Colonialism' and the museum's decision to restrict white people from entering a small section of the display. For several months now, Saturdays at the museum have been reserved for black people and people of colour to explore a colonialism exhibition

The museum claims the objective is not to be discriminatory, but to reserve a safe space for reflection for non-whites.

"This is about an affected group, so the request is that the affected people can also be themselves and talk among themselves... that's the approach, to discuss a topic for oneself and with oneself and then just be free from other people," said Barbara Rüschoff-Parzinger of the Department of Culture for the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe.

The exhibition, which explores Westphalia's colonial past, has been open to the public for months.

But, the scandal broke out a few days ago after a video was released in which a white journalist from a radio station was not allowed to enter.