Online abuse of Carla Lockhart ‘disgraceful’, says Michelle O’Neill

First Minister Michelle O’Neill has called online abuse targeting Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Carla Lockhart “disgraceful and unacceptable”.

It comes after Lockhart tagged the Sinn Féin vice president on social media in a post about the abuse.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, the Upper Bann MP claimed that accounts which send her abuse “on a daily basis are followed by some Sinn Féin MLAs”.

Speaking at an event in Londonderry on Wednesday, O’Neill said she contacted Lockhart directly to condemn the abuse.

Writing on X, and tagging O’Neill, Lockhart said: “Dozens of the accounts that send me abuse on a daily basis are followed by some SF MLA’s, some names crop up more than others, happy to send you the details.

“If you are really serious about standing up for women, then perhaps they can have a word!”

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show on Wednesday, Lockhart said that the abuse she received online is “vile and relentless”.

“It is often not about my politics, in the main it is about my appearance and how I look.”

She added that online abuse “was never” an issue before entering into politics.

Lockhart said that she will not let the abuse “deter” her, as she does not want to be “a politician who is defined as someone who gets abused”.

Lockhart also highlighted the need to call people out saying that it was “important” not just for her but for others.

“All abuse, misogynistic or otherwise, is disgraceful and unacceptable,” O’Neill said in response.

Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood has voiced her support for Lockhart in a post on X, saying the abuse was “absolutely vile”.

Eastwood has previously spoken out about the abuse she has received on social media, including receiving a rape threat.