FACEBOOK stands accused of censoring feminist content after one of London’s most popular left festivals was barred from promoting its page on the site.

The annual Matchwomen’s festival commemorates the 1888 strike by women and girls at the Bryant & May match factory. This week it tried to boost the page inviting people to attend this year’s event, which takes place on July 1 in Camden — only to be refused.

Bewildered organiser Louise Raw was told Facebook would not promote pages that contain “profanity, harassment, or references to your audience’s personal characteristics (such as gender, race, age or name)” — and the page’s repeated use of the term “women” fell foul of the condition, even though it makes clear that men and children are equally welcome to attend.

“I can appreciate that Facebook would want to ban white supremacist events, but their ruling that ads must not mention gender, race or age means that Women of Colour would not be able to promote self-contained events, nor women who want a female-only safe space event for example for victims of abuse or rape,” she pointed out.

“It would presumably rule out the WASPI women’s pension campaign if they wanted to promote something relevant to the women affected.

“Meanwhile I can find no evidence that Facebook has an issue with events with all male or all-white panels.”

Academic and activist Dana Mills said it was “troubling” that Facebook was censoring left events “under the guise of anti-sectarianism.

“This merely furthers injustice and consolidates the Establishment narrative. What a shame that an event celebrating a successful strike that has made life better for women and men ever since is perceived as threatening and provokes censorship.”

And NUT executive member Kiri Tunks was appalled by the social media giant’s stance.

“How can minority or oppressed groups self-organise if they are barred from naming the basis of their oppression?” she asked.

“This event is about educating people on the amazing role played by women in establishing the labour movement, and we can’t talk about that?

“Young women rose up, took on a patriarchal system and won, and now women are being written out of history.

“Would they apply the same principle to the ‘personal characteristic’ of race? Would they agree with the critics who snipe that the Black Lives Matter movement should rename itself All Lives Matter, though that fails to recognise the particular oppression black people face and therefore prevents them from challenging it?”

Facebook had not responded to a request for comment by the time the Morning Star went to press.