DUP’S Carla Lockhart condemns online abuse of Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill, two years after Upper Bann MP suffered similar attacks

DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart was speaking after Sinn Fein MLA Linda Dillon spoke out to reveal the abuse suffered by her party’s deputy leader in recent days.

In 2018 Ms Lockhart, then an MLA, called for more controls on social media after receiving “very personal” abuse on Twitter, after she posted a selfie of herself and her party leader Arlene Foster.

Yesterday Ms Dillon said there must be “zero tolerance” for online abuse following what she described as “a barrage of threats, sectarian and misogynistic comments” targeting Ms O’Neill.

The Mid Ulster Sinn Fein MLA said her friend and colleague has been the victim of “vile online abuse, harassment and threats” over the course of recent days.

“The bulk of this abuse has consisted of repugnant sectarian and misogynistic comments,” she said.

“There have also been threats made against Michelle O’Neill on social media and the details of these threats have been passed onto the PSNI for investigation.”

She added: “There is space to disagree politically in a mature and respectful manner but resorting to threats and abuse is unacceptable.”

Nonetheless, Ms Dillon said Ms O’Neill remains “undeterred” in her role as Deputy First Minister.

“I would call on those from across all political parties and indeed all aspects of public life to stand together and to condemn those responsible for online threats and abuse targeting Michelle O’Neill,” she added.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart unequivocally answered Sinn Fein’s call for solidarity on the issue.

“I am all too aware that some keyboard warriors and the kind of abuse which some people appear to believe is somehow acceptable online,” she responded.

“Such abuse is never right and can never be justified regardless of who it is directed towards or how much you disagree with their political ideology. Whilst the police have been able to pursue some cases, in the absence of action from social media platforms there remains a need for proper regulation to help combat this scourge.”

In 2018 the Upper Bann MLA said female politicians in other parties have also been targeted with abuse.

She said: “We need to get our police and our social media outlets working together to tackle this and to bring people to task for what they’re doing,” she said.

“This is bullying. It’s harassment of women in political life.

“I am more than open to people debating about political beliefs and policy but these were very personal.”

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