NORTHERN IRELAND’S JUSTICE minister says a line was crossed when a “threatening” mob showed up at her house last night.

Naomi Long, the leader of the Alliance Party, whose home in East Belfast was targeted, said it amounted to “intimidation”.

She wrote in a post on X this morning that during her 25-year stint in politics, she has “engaged with people from all backgrounds and perspectives” and “been open to debating and discussing issues, whether we agreed or not, including on here”.

“Turning up as a mob, some in masks, at my home just isn’t on,” she said.

That line was crossed last night.

“It isn’t engagement and it isn’t legitimate protest to turn up at my home, disrupt my neighbours, my family and place pressure on police. It’s bullying and intimidation. It’s threatening and wholly unacceptable.

“It needs to stop.”

Her husband, Councillor Michael Long, said “about 40 people” showed up at their home. He said that, as a result of the incident, police had to guard the house overnight “in case of attack”.

“They filmed and the PSNI had to attend,” he wrote on X.

“In 25 years, no one has protested at our house. For the first time in 12 years, a PSNI car has had to sit outside the house overnight in case of attack.”

Police are investigating the “protest”.

In a statement, a PSNI spokesperson said: “Police attended a protest outside a property in east Belfast on Wednesday evening, 8 October.

“We have commenced an investigation. An evidence-gathering operation was in place and we will now review the footage and consider if any potential offences were committed.”

SDLP Leader Claire Hanna said there is “no place” for violence or intimidation in politics or society. 

“There will always be political disagreement, particularly in a place with as fraught a history as this, but to turn up outside a politician’s home and try to intimidate them is sinister and entirely wrong,” she said.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said last night’s incident should be condemned.

“The private homes of elected politicians should be firmly off limits.”

Matthew O’Toole, an SDLP MLA for South Belfast, expressed solidarity with Long and her family, and said the targeting of politicians’ homes is “anti-democratic intimidation”.

“Showing up at someone’s family home is not a legitimate form of democratic activity. It is anti-democratic intimidation and must be called out and opposed vociferously,” he said.