An MP has reported abusive and threatening social media comments to the police and says he has been the victim of a 'targeted' campaign.
Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative MP for Chingford and Woodford Green, was subjected to numerous abusive comments and threats on a Facebook post detailing graffiti vandalism at his constituency office.
On the morning of November 25, Mr Duncan Smith, who has held his seat since 1992, found his office in Station Road, Chingford, had been defaced by graffiti.
‘Tory cuts kill’ and ‘Tories out’ had been spray-painted in black over the door and window of the building.
Anti-Tory statements were sprayed over the door and window of Mr Duncan Smith's constituency office.
In a post on Facebook the former Tory leader said: “Unfortunately this is what we’ve walked into this morning.
“This is not acceptable.
“Political campaigning is an essential part of the democratic process and all opposition candidates must condemn such intimidation and criminal behaviour.
“I have news for these democracy-hating thugs: this will not stop us from campaigning and delivering a Conservative majority government.”
The post, which has amassed over 2,800 comments, was shared over 750 times.
Numerous abusive comments have been made under the post, with one user saying “they should have used petrol” and another adding “lol I hope conservatives die”.
One commenter said: "Seems perfectly acceptable to me. Also acceptable would be lining you up against a wall in front of a firing squad."
Mr Duncan Smith, who reported a number of threats on the post to the police, described the comments as a 'targeted left wing attack'.
He added: “They are just trying to frighten decent people. This is the nastiest general election campaign I have seen in my more than 20 years here.
“But it’s counter-productive. People see this and just think these people are nasty.”
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘Police were called at 9am on Monday, November 25, to graffiti on a premises. Officers are investigating and looking at the CCTV records. There has been no arrest. The social media threats have also been passed on the Police and are being investigated.’
On Friday, December 6, Mr Duncan Smith was sent the decomposing body of a dead rat in the post.
The remains of a decomposing rat posted to Mr Duncan Smith.
On Twitter, he condemned the incident as an 'unacceptable act of intimidation'.
Kinder, gentler politics...during #GE2019, not at all. In Chingford/Woodford Green we’ve had office graffiti, social media violent abuse/smear tactics. Latest: suspect package containing decomposed rat. Campaign volunteers are subjected to these unacceptable acts of intimidation pic.twitter.com/yDcoeNtygv
— Iain Duncan Smith (@MPIainDS) December 6, 2019
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