Casement Park: UUP councillor says threats won't deter her

Linzi McLaren was a serving police officer for 18 years before becoming a UUP councillor elected in May 2023.

An Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) councillor says she is determined to remain in her role despite being threatened after showing support for the redevelopment of Casement Park.

Linzi McLaren said she was a target because she was a woman and a moderate unionist, which upset certain people.

The former police officer said she had also received an abusive letter.

The threats began after she was elected in May but escalated after her Casement Park comments.

'You get worn down'

Ms McLaren told BBC NI's Good Morning Ulster that the latest threat has "unnerved" her, adding that "you just start to get worn down by it".

However, she added: "It won't stop me from being a politician. I can't let it stop me.

"I believe the right politicians with the right moral courage can make a difference in Northern Ireland and they can't be threatened for trying to fulfil that role."

Ms McLaren said she had a strong relationship with her local GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) club in Holywood, County Down, and expressed her support for the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast.

She said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that governments invested money in stadiums because "the injection of cash into the economy is huge".

She said the GAA deserved a stadium and that any debate around cash for Casement should be "objective" and "free from whatever mistrust people feel toward the GAA as an organisation".

She received several threats in response.

The threats have been reported to the PSNI.

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A dangerous precedent

Ms McLaren said that because she began receiving abuse so early on in her political career, she almost believed "that it's part and parcel of the role".

However, she added: "I think that's a dangerous precedent to set - to accept that someone in a public role should be normalising abuse and threats - because it isn't acceptable.

"If there's abuse and threats every time a politician decides to speak up on an issue, less and less people are going to decide to throw their hat in the ring and stand for election, especially women, which I find incredibly sad."

Ms McLaren said that while she has seen "obscene abuse" directed towards her male counterparts, she believes that when the abuse is towards women its "very personal".

"When women receive abuse it crosses a line - what they look like, what they're wearing, what life choices they've made," she said.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said no MP should have to accept threats or harassment as "part of the job"

Meanwhile MPs facing threats to their safety are to get extra security, as part of a £31m package to help protect the UK's democratic processes from disruption, the government announced on Wednesday.

Measures could include the provision of bodyguards for MPs most at risk.

The funding will also be used for additional police patrols in response to increased community tensions.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said no MP should have to accept threats or harassment as "part of the job".