Racist, misogynistic and anti-Muslim slurs among 55 incidents of abuse against general election candidates

James Cox

Over 50 incidents of documented harassment, abuse and threats against general election candidates and canvassers included explicit racist, misogynistic and anti-Muslim slurs. 

The 55 incidents were documented in researh by Ciarán O'Connor from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and Edel McGinley from the Hope & Courage Collective.

This included four incidents of offline violence; 13 incidents related to offline harassment against candidates/canvassers; seven incidents of targeting and harassment against candidate property; 11 incidents of online harassment against candidates/canvassers; and 20 incidents of online smear campaigns and threatening rhetoric.

The researchers noted that there was more coordinated targeting of individuals online during the general election campaign, compared to more on the ground targeting during the local and European elections.

Incidents of offline harassment included the targeting of politicians like Pearse Doherty, Helen McEntee, Paul Murphy, John McGahon, Mary Butler and Mary Lou McDonald.

Twenty candidates used threatening rhetoric against other elected politicians on online platforms.

A combined 90 per cent of all incidents featured social media, illustrating the central role that online platforms occupy in the hate, harassment and targeting of candidates.

X and TikTok were the platforms on which the researchers witnessed the most hate and harassment, featuring in 65 per cent of all incidents. Permissive platform policies and unenforced guidelines may have emboldened far-right activists, resulting in them operating with ease on X and TikTok.

Mr O'Connor, senior analyst with ISD, said: "During the past weeks, we’ve watched candidates and canvassers be harassed, threatened and verbally abused. Most concerning is the large degree to which social media and online platforms feature in such incidents.

"As we noted in June, there is again a significant online and offline interplay, in which acts of intimidation or harassment occur offline, are filmed and then shared online to garner attention. This then has a multiplier effect of generating further cycles of abuse for those involved.

"Yet again, significant platform failings and lack of enforcement of community guidelines are enabling extremists to act with impunity, target candidates and threaten our demoracy."

Edel McGinley, executive director at the Hope & Courage Collective, said: “It is extremely worrying that 89% of all incidences particularly targeting politicians, featured on social media in some form. This raises some ongoing questions about social media platforms enforcement of community guidelines and standards and compliance with the Digital Service Act”.

“The effects of sustained and repeated harassment cannot be understated and require a robust response from Social Media Platforms, An Gardai Siochana, the Regulators, along with a commitment in the new programme for government to address any gaps or lacunas in law to tackle this.”

You can read the full report here.