A US journalist and author has come under fire on Twitter after suggesting the country’s prison system was “inseparable” from white supremacy.

Sarah Jaffe, who reports on labour conditions and inequality in the US, tweeted a response to a Miami Police warning about looting during Hurricane Irma.

She said: “The carceral [prison] state exists to protect private property and is inseparable from white supremacy”.

The comment received over 2,000 likes and 1,000 retweets with may accusing her of being a “left wing lunatic” and asking her if she would be OK with people stealing things from her home.

Responding to the criticism Ms Jaffe said her feed had been “filled with neo-Nazis” who were sending her “defensive emails” about her comments.

At least 11 people have been killed in Florida since Hurricane Irma made landfall earlier this week and an estimated 13m people are believed to be without power.

Police in Fort Lauderdale say 19 people have been arrested on suspicion of burglary since the storm hit the city on Sunday, USA Today reported.

Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Show all 8 1 /8 Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Jennifer Nelson, senior keeper at Zoo Miami, leads a cheetah named Koda to a hurricane resistant structure within the zoo, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 in Miami. AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Ryan Martinez, a trainer at Zoo Miami, places an Eurasion Eagle Owl into a crate AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Flamingos at Zoo Miami, are shown in a temporary enclosure in a hurricane resistant structure within the zoo, (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Brown pelicans and an American white pelican take refuge in a shelter ahead of the downfall of Hurricane Irma at the zoo in Miami REUTERS/Adrees Latif Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami An African crested porcupine is moved into a shelter ahead of the downfall of Hurricane Irma at the zoo in Miami, Florida, REUTERS/Adrees Latif Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami A macaw parrot looks out of it's cage after being put into a shelter REUTERS/Adrees Latif Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami An African grey parrot is moved into a shelter ahead of the downfall of Hurricane Irma REUTERS/Adrees Latif Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Cheetahs are photographed in a shelter ahead of the downfall of Hurricane Irma at the zoo in Miami, Florida, REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Police Chief Rick Maglione said in a statement: “Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life decision.