A branch of the Black Lives Matter movement in Philadelphia has banned white people from an upcoming meeting, in what the organizers say will be a “black only space.”

The meeting, which takes place April 15th, invites people to “meet, strategize and organize” events and is apparently family-friendly, with families encouraged to bring their children along as well.

All Hispanic and. Whites who support #BlacklivesMatter @BLMPhilly says you are not welcome at meetings and you can't attend. — Sharika Soal (@LadyThriller69) April 3, 2017

After criticism directed at the decision, the group defended their policy, stating that “If you identify as a person of the African Diaspora you can attend our meetings and become a member. If not you can support us in other ways.”

If you identify as a person of the African Diaspora You can attend our meetings and become a member. If not you can support us in other ways https://t.co/GTCkKVC7xV — BLM Philly (@BLMPhilly) April 3, 2017

One Twitter user suggested that Martin Luther King Jr. would never have supported such a policy, and the group simply said that “he made that choice and we have made ours.”

Look very closely at this photo of MLK marching for black rights. As you can see white people are with him. So why is @BLMPhilly saying no? pic.twitter.com/e29ddQCuHn — Sharika Soal (@LadyThriller69) April 3, 2017

https://twitter.com/BLMPhilly/status/848866370204905477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fdailycaller.com%2F2017%2F04%2F03%2Fblack-lives-matter-philly-bans-white-people-from-its-meetings%2F

The group also pointed to the fact that the black nationalist Malcolm X had a similar policy of not allowing white people to attend his meetings.

Malcolm took our same stance. White people could not attend the meetings but could support his organization https://t.co/RyUGClETHJ — BLM Philly (@BLMPhilly) April 3, 2017

The Philadelphian Black Lives Matter branch is not the first to try a policy of discrimination based on skin color. Last year, Nashville Public Library officials informed Nashville’s chapter of Black Lives Matter members that the group’s “open to black and non-black people of color only” meetings policy was prohibited on public property.

However, the upcoming meeting in Philadelphia takes place at the independently funded Mastery Charter School, meaning they are not subject to the same equality laws prohibiting such a policy.

You can follow Ben Kew on Facebook, on Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com.