A hugely popular knitting website has banned its users from expressing their support for Donald Trump because it cannot condone “white supremacy”.

Ravelry – a social networking site for knitters, crocheters and weavers that claims to have more than eight million users – announced its new policy “banning support of Donald Trump and his administration” on Sunday.

“We cannot provide a space that is inclusive of all and also allow support for open white supremacy,” the administrators said. “Support of the Trump administration is undeniably support for white supremacy.”

The statement went on to explain Revelry was not banning Republicans, separating Mr Trump’s politics from the president’s party. “We are definitely not banning conservative politics. Hate groups and intolerance are different from other types of political positions.”

Ravelry invited users to flag knitting or crochet patterns if they constitute support for Mr Trump or his administration.

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The statement warned that Trump supporters could be permanently banned, but only if they violated the new policy.

“You can still participate if you do in fact support the administration, you just can’t talk about it here," it said.

"We are not banning people for past support.”

The administrators added: “Do not try to weaponise this policy by entrapping people who do support the Trump administration into voicing their support.”

The decision was lambasted by Trump supporters on social media, sparking debate about the limits of tolerance and the best way to oppose the president.

Last October the popular roleplaying game website RPG.net banned support for Mr Trump or his administration on its forums, arguing it could not “allow support for open white supremacy”.

Moderators explained: “We will not pretend that evil isn’t evil, or that it becomes a legitimate difference of political opinion if you put a suit and tie on it.”