Campaigners “hijacked then derailed” a charity cinema screening of classic war-film Zulu, the event organiser said.

Tom Langlands made the claim when ticket sales for his charity event, held at Folkestone Silver Screen Cinema on Saturday, dipped compared to previous events.

He said despite best efforts promoting the movie it was: “Hijacked then derailed by a few largely anonymous protesters who unwittingly unleashed a Pandora’s box of unfettered discord and intolerance, nothing could get this vehicle back on track.

“Fanning these flames, one local paper even ran with the headline ‘Calls for ‘racist’ Zulu film to be axed.’”

Referring to a story in the Express (June 27) - where campaigner were quoted as calling the film racist - Mr Langlands said the story dampened attendance.

In a poll on our KentOnline website more than 12,000 people came out in favour of the Michael Caine classic to be shown.

Mr Langlands continued: “The screening went ahead, as planned, without a protester in sight.

“I looked hard for signs of racism but found little evidence.

“However, the toxicity of the label ‘racist’ and its unwelcome association with this screening unquestionably impacted on ticket sales and the final tally raised.”

Held in aid of The Armed Forces Charity SSAFA, Mr Landland’s screening of Zulu was thrust into the national media over protests.

It came as a group of 28 campaigners sent a letter to Folkestone Mayor Ann Berry saying, how they believed, the film contained “racial overtones.”

They called for Bigger Boat Pictures to have a more “positively inclusive and sensitive approach to future screenings.”

The letter also called for a statement to be made to the audience putting the battle at Rorkes Drift into a wider context.

Mr Langlands said he was unconcerned about the protest group but took issue with the “anger and ill-will it brought out in journalists, broadcasters, academics, armchair commentators and keyboard warriors.”

“For all the publicity, I have no doubt that I would have sold more tickets without it.

“Zulu remains the most talked about but lowest attended charity screening I have hosted at Silver Screen Cinema,” he added.

Anita Mckenzie, whose parents came to the UK as first generation Windrush migrants and Arike Stan-Grant, 68, who is of Afro-Caribbean descent, were among those who signed the letter.

Ms Mckenzie, who lives in Folkestone, said: “My childhood growing up in south London was punctuated by racism. I remember watching Zulu as a child and I remember thinking it showed Africans as savages.

“For many of us in the black community it made our existence very uncomfortable. Obviously it’s a generational thing, it came out in the early 60s and racism was more prominent then."

The 59-year-old praised organisers Bigger Boat Pictures for helping to raise aid but believes showing the Michael Caine classic was “poor judgement.”

Arike Stan-Grant, 68, said he believes racial tension still exists in Folkestone.

He said: “As a young person the film drew me in, it was an interesting film. Since then I have had some time to reflect and now I can see how it’s problematic.

“And if you are going to show a film like that then I think there needs to be a discussion about it.

“I have been made to feel very welcome here, however there is still tension in Folkestone.

“It’s small things, like people can give you a funny look and then there are little remarks that people say.”

Before the showing the group sent a letter to Ann Berry saying the film contained ‘racial overtones.’

They called for Bigger Boat Pictures to have a more “positively inclusive and sensitive approach to future screenings.”

The letter also called for a statement to be made to the audience putting the battle at Rorkes Drift into a wider context.

Sir Michael Caine made his screen debut in the war epic, which also starred Richard Burton and Stanley Baker.

The film is based around the 1879 Battle of Rorke’s Drift, which involved a skeleton crew of hero soldiers from The 24th Regiment of Foot.