Northern Ireland's Justice Minister, Naomi Long, has stated she remains 'alert to the risks' associated with her high-profile role, following a disturbing incident where a crowd gathered outside her private residence in Belfast.
'Disturbing and Embarrassing' Incident at Home
In a candid interview on BBC Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan Show, the Alliance Party leader revealed she was left feeling 'disturbed' and 'embarrassed' when approximately 40 people assembled outside her house in October. The group, which included men, women, and children—some with their faces covered—said they wished to confront Ms Long about sex offender management and immigration issues.
Ms Long stressed this was an entirely inappropriate way to approach an elected representative. 'I'm not a shrinking violet. I'll talk to anyone,' she said, 'but to come to people's houses at night en masse is not a way to engage in conversation. I'm not going to go and have a debate in my driveway.'
Impact on Neighbours and Police Resources
The Minister expressed particular embarrassment over the impact on her neighbours, revealing the protest occurred on a sensitive night. 'One of my neighbours had just passed away. There was a wake that night for her… I just think disrupting a family the night before a funeral is pretty low,' she stated.
She also highlighted the unnecessary drain on policing. 'I was embarrassed that the police were back outside my house again… it takes police resources away from more important things,' Long added, noting she does not generally use the front room of her house due to security concerns.
Calls for Respectful Engagement
While acknowledging that entering politics requires a thick skin, Naomi Long issued a clear plea for respectful boundaries. 'The one thing that I would ask is that people respect the boundaries of the job,' she said.
She pointed to her publicly accessible office as the correct forum for concerns. 'I have an office that if people want to talk to me, they can make an appointment and come in and have that conversation. People do that every week. The way to handle this is to talk directly or send an email like anybody normal would do.'
The Justice Minister said she was grateful for the widespread condemnation of the protest from across the political spectrum, which affirmed such tactics are unacceptable for any public representative.
