SDLP leader condemns online abuse of Cara Hunter
Cara Hunter came third in East Londonderry constituency in last week's general election
- Published
The leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) has condemned online abuse directed at the party鈥檚 East Londonderry election candidate Cara Hunter.
Colum Eastwood said Ms Hunter, who represents the area in the Northern Ireland Assembly, has been targeted since the general election.
She finished third in the constituency, behind Sinn F茅in鈥檚 Kathleen McGurk who came within 179 votes of unseating the veteran Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Gregory Campbell.
Mr Eastwood blamed some supporters of Sinn F茅in for the abuse.
鈥淭he abuse that was levelled at Cara Hunter and others was over the fact that we ran a candidate in East Derry,鈥 he told 91热爆 Radio Foyle鈥檚 North West Today programme.
鈥淭o be clear there was no approach, no offer, no conversation from Sinn F茅in to myself or anyone in the leadership of the SDLP about us not running in East Derry,鈥 he said.
In a statement to 91热爆 News NI, Sinn F茅in鈥檚 candidate Kathleen McGurk said there was 鈥渘o place for personal abuse against political representatives or anyone in our society".
Mr Eastwood said Ms Hunter was 鈥渇ine鈥 and 鈥渧ery resilient鈥.
However, he said there 鈥渋s a nastiness sometimes in our politics, particularly here, particularly coming from one source鈥.
During the election campaign, police said safety information was available for candidates
Ms Hunter, a former deputy mayor of Derry, has previously spoken out about abuse she has received online.
In 2020, she said he had received sexually violent and threatening abuse online and by phone.
She said she had to have her contact details removed from Derry City and Strabane District Council's website due to the abuse and had taken advice from police.
Last month, the head of Northern Ireland's electoral commission warned it would be "damaging to democracy" if women don't feel safe to campaign or take part in elections.
Cahir Hughes said that "we'd be a poorer society if women did not feel safe" to run for office.
A looking at the May 2023 local elections in Northern Ireland highlighted that half of the 807 candidates reported experiencing threats, abuse and/or intimidation.
It also found women candidates in Northern Ireland were more likely than male candidates to have experienced harassment.