A police investigation is under way after a “mob” of about 40 people, including some wearing masks, went to the home of the North’s justice minister Naomi Long, on Wednesday evening.
Ms Long, who is also the leader of the Alliance Party and an Assembly member for east Belfast, said a “line was crossed” and described what had happened as “bullying and intimidation ... threatening and wholly unacceptable”.
Ms Long’s husband Michael Long, who is an Alliance councillor in east Belfast, said in a social media post that “about 40 people, some wearing masks, turned up at our house to protest.
“They filmed and the PSNI [Police Service of Northern Ireland] had to attend.
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“In 25 years, no-one has protested at our house. For the first time in 12 years, a PSNI car has had to sit outside the house overnight in case of attack,” he said.
Also writing on social media, Ms Long said “it isn’t engagement and it isn’t legitimate protest to turn up at my home, disrupt my neighbours, my family and put pressure on the police” and “it needs to stop.
“Over the last 25 years I’ve been in front-line politics, I’ve engaged with people from all backgrounds and perspectives.
“I’ve been open to debating and discussing issues, whether we agreed or not.
“Turning up as a mob, some in masks, at my home, just isn’t on,” Ms Long said.
In a statement, the PSNI said it attended a protest outside a property in east Belfast on Wednesday evening and had commenced an investigation.
“An evidence-gathering operation was in place and we will now review the footage and consider if any potential offences were committed,” it said.
The Alliance Party has said it will review the personal safety of all its elected representatives.
Speaking to reporters at Stormont on Wednesday afternoon, Alliance’s deputy leader, Eoin Tennyson, said the “reprehensible incident ... followed months of toxic misinformation and personal abuse and harassment of Naomi [Long] online fuelled by far right activists and malign influences.”
He said it was “clearly driven by a desire to try and intimidate Naomi and Michael [Long] out of public life – that will not happen,” adding that they and the party were “determined ... to face down this kind of intimidation and to build the kind of society that I know most people in Northern Ireland actually aspire to”.
Mr Tennyson also said some members of rival parties should reflect on the language used in the Assembly chamber, saying politicians “have a responsibility now to reflect on the tone and tenor of debate.
“The words we utter in the chamber are not without consequence,” he said. “It is simply not good enough for any politician to light the touchpaper and then try to walk away and absolve themselves of responsibility when the flames are burning.
“This is an important turning point and inflection in our politics,” Mr Tennyson said. “We have a choice to make about the kind of society, the kind of politics and the kind of future that we want.
“Is it a politics that is driven by hate, misinformation and disinformation and divisive culture wars, pandering to those on the extremes, or is it a politics that’s about bringing people together, offering positivity and offering hope?”
The incident has been widely condemned, including by the Assembly Speaker, the DUP Assembly member Edwin Poots, who in a statement said “Members across the House will be united in standing against such unacceptable behaviour and in solidarity with Naomi [Long] as a respected colleague and our justice minister.
“No politician should be subjected to what occurred last night and it is important that we all call that out.”
The First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill, described the incident as “absolutely disgusting.
“Turning up at someone’s home is intimidation, not protest. It is never acceptable,” she said on social media.
The DUP leader Gavin Robinson said “the private homes of elected politicians should be firmly off-limits.
“Whatever the reason for political protest, what happened last night at Naomi Long’s home should be roundly condemned.”
The SDLP leader Claire Hanna sent her “sincere solidarity” to the Longs and said “to turn up outside a politician’s home and try to intimidate them is sinister and entirely wrong”.
The Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said he was “shocked and horrified” at what had happened and that in a democracy “there are acceptable ways to express your opposition. Intimidation is not one of them.”
Ms Long has previously received death threats and has suffered sustained personal abuse on social media.
Petrol bombs were thrown at her constituency office in east Belfast during protests over the flying of the union flag at Belfast City Hall in 2012.
Additional reporting – PA.
