(Update: Harris is participating in the forum again after Benedict College took control from organizers, 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center, Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said. What's now called the Collegiate Bipartisan Presidential Forum will allow more of the campus to attend Saturday and Sunday after the president's speech Friday offered seats to a just handful of students.)

COLUMBIA — California Sen. Kamala Harris has dropped out of a criminal justice forum at a historically black college after Republican President Donald Trump received the same award as the 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful.

Trump received the Bipartisan Justice Award from the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center on Friday at Benedict College in Columbia for his backing of a new law that aims to lower the prison population.

Harris, who won the award in 2017, was among 10 Democratic presidential contenders scheduled to speak at the justice center's forum on Saturday and Sunday.

But she's pulling out because of Trump's "racist behavior that puts people’s lives at risk." She added that "there is nothing in his career that is about justice, for justice, or in celebration of justice."

Harris, a former state attorney general, also is protesting the exclusion of Benedict students at the invitation-only forum. Just a handful of students attended the president's hour-long speech Friday where he touted about his accomplishments in the African American community.

"I cannot in good faith be complicit in papering over his record," Harris said.

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Instead, Harris will hold a criminal justice roundtable at another Columbia site on Saturday. Her campaign did not announce a location as of Friday evening.

Her withdrawal is another controversy to hit the forum that made Columbia an epicenter for 2020 politics this weekend.

Trump's appearance at Benedict, announced just a a week ago, "blindsided" Democratic contenders, state party chairman Trav Robertson said.

Trump's speech also was not fair because unlike the Democratic candidates the president did not face audience questions, said Benjamin, who tried to have the event moved off campus without success.

Harris is the fourth choice among S.C. Democratic primary voters, according to Post and Courier-Change Research polls.

She is trailing former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Benedict has taken control of the forum hosting top 2020 Dems after event organizer 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center brought Donald Trump to the historically back campus Friday