Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said the bomb threat made at his home on Wednesday night was “completely unacceptable” and that threats against politicians and their families would not be allowed to continue.
There have been increasing instances of people gathering outside the homes of Irish ministers, some wearing masks and carrying anti-immigration banners. Last week, three men who gathered outside Harris' home were arrested on suspicion of harassing a public official.
Immigration has become a hotly debated issue in Ireland, with the government struggling to accept record numbers of refugees and sometimes violent protests happening outside migrant accommodation.
“This is a totally unacceptable situation,” Harris told reporters at a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday.
“I don't know if hoax is even the right word in a respectful way because these actions are certainly intended to intimidate and upset. I have young children. I have a wife,” he said.
“I think everyone in our discourse, including the media, needs to reflect on how they speak about these issues. If some men in masks turn up outside your house, that's not a protest. What happened outside my house is not a protest and this cannot be allowed to continue.”
