THE DUP HAS said Sammy Wilson “will not be deterred” by an attack on his constituency office which involved gunshots being fired at the building.

Wilson is the current MP for East Antrim and the incident occurred at his office in Carrickfergus.

He is standing for re-election in the upcoming UK General Election on 4 July.

Wilson told The Belfast Telegraph today that “four shots were fired” sometime in the middle of the night and that it “shattered the glass in the window”.

He added that it was “clear” that his office was targeted but told the paper that he would not be “intimidated” and won’t “bow down to this”.

The PSNI today confirmed that it is investigating a report of criminal damage to Wilson’s office in the Lancasterian Street area of Carrickfergus.

PSNI Superintendent Ian McCormick said police received a report shortly after 9.30am this morning that damage had been caused to the windows and doors overnight.

He said officers remain at the scene to establish the circumstances around this incident and added that it “appears that the damage may have been caused by ball-bearings”.

He appealed for anyone who was in the area overnight and saw anything suspicious, or who may have CCTV, dashcam or other video footage, to make contact with PSNI.

Members of the public can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/

Superintendent McCormick also remarked that people standing in elections or involved in canvassing “are a key part of our democratic process and it is unacceptable when they become the subject of abuse”.

He added that the PSNI is “committed to ensuring all candidates in the upcoming election can campaign free from harassment and intimidation”.

Meanwhile, DUP leader Gavin Robinson described the incident as an “attack on the democratic process and perpetrated by those who skulk around under cover of darkness”.

Robinson said Wilson won’t be “deterred by this cowardly attack” and added that “such violence and thuggish behaviour is not carried out in the name of the people of Carrickfergus”/

“It is a full-frontal assault on the democratic process,” said Robinson.

“Threats and violence from wherever they come did not deter or sway us in the past and it will not do so now.”

He encouraged anyone who may have information to come forward to the PSNI.

Alliance leader Naomi Long described the incident as “disgraceful” and labelled it an “attack on democracy”.

This is an absolutely disgraceful attack on @eastantrimmp and @gordonlyons1's constituency
office. It's also an attack on democracy.

Our offices are there to provide a service and no-one should ever face this kind of intimidation or threat. #solidarityhttps://t.co/AjbSsZ4nl1

— Naomi Long MLA (@naomi_long) June 26, 2024

“Our offices are there to provide a service and no-one should ever face this kind of intimidation or threat,” said Long.

Alliance party colleague Danny Donnelly meanwhile, who will go up against Wilson in the upcoming UK General Election in the East Antrim constituency, called the incident an “attack on our democratic institutions” and expressed solidarity with Wilson and his staff.