The Guardian newspaper has banned comments on its articles about race, immigration and Islam on its website.

Comments will be reopened only when for specific articles the paper has enough moderators and when they believe “positive debate” is possible.

“The overwhelming majority of these comments tend towards racism, abuse of vulnerable subjects, author abuse and trolling,” Executive Editor Mary Hamilton said, “and the resulting conversations below the line bring very little value but cause consternation and concern among both our readers and our journalists.”

This means comment is no longer welcomed by the Guardian on some of the most important issues facing contemporary Europe. Topics that people will no longer be able to comment on may include :

The ideological roots of Islamist extremism

Mass sexual assault attacks in Europe

Ghettoization in Muslim communities

Honor violence

The impact of large scale migration from Muslim majority countries into Europe

Commenters on the article announcing the new policy were split, with many opposing the change.

“The new policy seems to be confined to the subjects of 'race, immigration and Islam' and seems directed to to [sic] closing down discussion altogether on these topics unless they are going to make a special effort to moderate a particular column very tightly,” one commenter wrote.