{"id":24057,"date":"2021-11-18T09:21:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-18T14:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24057"},"modified":"2021-11-19T10:25:12","modified_gmt":"2021-11-19T15:25:12","slug":"political-leaders-in-the-north-unite-to-condemn-social-media-abuse-of-ministers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24057","title":{"rendered":"Political Leaders In The North Unite To Condemn Social Media Abuse Of Ministers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Justice Minister Naomi Long and Health Minister Robin Swann received abuse after the Stormont Executive voted through plans for mandatory vaccine passports (PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There has been condemnation after Northern Ireland\u2019s Justice Minister was targeted with a torrent of \u201cvile misogynistic\u201d abuse on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naomi Long and Health Minister Robin Swann were the focus of the onslaught on Twitter on Wednesday evening just hours after the Stormont Executive agreed to plans to roll out a mandatory vaccine passport in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UK’s Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis was among political leaders who expressed solidarity with Ms Long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe vile misogynistic abuse that has been directed towards her since yesterday\u2019s vote is disgusting and has no place in this echo chamber or outside of it,\u201d he tweeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said the abuse directed at Ms Long and Mr Swann was \u201cutterly disgraceful\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can have a point of view, that\u2019s fair, but you\u2019ve no right to abuse anyone on here or anywhere else. #StopTheAbuse,\u201d he tweeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinn F\u00e9in MP Chris Hazzard tweeted: \u201cYou have to be a cowardly weasel to launch the type of attack on a female public representative that Naomi Long has suffered today on Twitter. Utterly pathetic Solidarity with @naomi_long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood urged social media companies \u201cto stop allowing thugs to turn their platforms into cess pits\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Long\u2019s husband Michael, a councilor in Belfast, thanked all those who had expressed support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSocial media is a sewer and full of non-entities seeking attention. Thanks to many people who have expressed support from across the spectrum for Naomi tonight,\u201d he tweeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Executive was divided over mandatory vaccine passports, with the DUP voting against them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other four Executive parties backed a proposal from Mr Swann that will see legal enforcement of Covid-19 certification entry requirements for nightclubs, bars, restaurants and a range of other settings from December 13th.<\/p>\n

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