MPs report a sharp rise in abuse linked to immigration debates, with some saying online harassment and death threats exceed levels seen during the Brexit years. Protests and counter-protests at hotels housing asylum seekers led to 15 arrests and continued demonstrations. One female MP reported an online rape threat tied to her support for asylum seekers to police. Anna Dixon said she received death threats after misleading information about her stance on grooming gangs was shared. MPs describe intense polarisation and dehumanising inbox and social media messages, with women and LGBTQ+ MPs receiving misogynist, homophobic and violent threats, some reported to police.
The lambasting we are all getting on social media and in the inbox is grim, from both sides, said Tonia Antoniazzi, Labour's MP for Gower. It's like we can't do right for doing wrong and everything has become frighteningly polarised. Very few people see us as the individual humans that we are especially women, mums, sisters, daughters and it's really changed since I came into the house. It's worse than Brexit. In fact I could cope with that better, she added.
As a leftwing and queer woman MP who speaks up frequently in support of refugees and LGBTIQA+ issues, I attract a lot of misogynist and homophobic abuse, she said. I wish I was surprised, but sadly it feels inevitable in the current political environment as the far right in the UK and across the world feels more and more emboldened and validated by other political parties dancing to their tune.
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