Update: A spokesperson for Facebook has clarified the situation. Facebook say the group was accidentally deleted this morning but was reinstated and changed to a private group by one of the group's administrators.

The founder of controversial Facebook group Women Who Eat on Tubes claimed Facebook removed the page – but the group was actually accidentally deleted before being reinstated on Friday morning.

Tony Burke, a filmmaker who set up the page on which users post surreptitious photos of women eating on the London Underground, claimed Facebook took the group down on Friday morning. He appeared on Radio 4's Today programme alongside Lucy Brisbane McKay, who is organising a protest against the group in the form of a picnic on the Circle Line.

Burke, who has consistently said in interviews that the group is "art" and "observational study", told the programme: "As of this morning, Facebook has taken the group down.

"Actually, we're talking about something posthumously."

He added: "[The protest] is irrelevant now because they're protesting about something that doesn't exist."

But a closed group with the same name, description, member size and administrators as the original Women Who Eat on Tubes is still up on Facebook. A closed group is a private group and only members can see the content posted. A spokesperson for Facebook has said the page was accidentally deleted and later reinstated as it does not breach any of the site's terms and conditions.

Only a group administrator can change the group's status from open to private. Any new members now have to request to join the group before they can view and post content.

A separate Tumblr with the same name, which Burke took credit for on Radio 4, is still up with all its content available to anyone.

Brisbane Mckay, a student, whose Circle Line protest on Monday may be attended by more than 300 people, said: "I don't think women particularly want to be seen as wildlife eating on the tube.

"We don't want to be the subject of your art."

You can listen to the entire interview below.

The group was started in 2011, with its numbers swelling to well over 20,000 in recent weeks following widespread media attention and criticism. While Burke claims he chose to concentrate on women because he believed more women ate on the tube, critics have said the group actively encourages shaming women who eat in public and is sexist.

What do you think? Should Facebook shut the group down? Have your say in the comments below.