Beware colourful language!

I've been tempted on quite a few occasions recently to post about racism and racist comments, which are much in the news at present, but I've held back for fear that my observations might be seen as - well, racist.  But I am struggling to come to terms with the Diane Abbott business.  In the course of a Twitter conversation she tweeted "White people love playing divide and rule. We should not play their game", and this apparently was considered so offensive that she was forced by the Leader of the Opposition to make a public apology.  So how was that a racist comment?  I can only presume because she used the words "white people".  So stereotypical perhaps, but racist?  Do you get it - because I sure don't?