Social media 'has become a cesspit' warn Derry reps after online abuse of Mayor

In February a man was jailed for posting abusive on-line messages toward Mayor Barr, who was appointed as Northern Ireland’s first black Mayor last year.

The SDLP representative said she has had to increased her security due to an an influx of on-line threats in the last number of weeks.

During a press conference at the Guildhall earlier this month, SDLP leader, Claire Hanna, said Mayor Barr had become the victim of an ongoing misinformation campaign online.

At this month’s Full Council Meeting, SDLP councillor Catherine McDaid put forward a motion, noting the rise in racism on social media in recent months, condemning the targeting of Mayor Barr, and expressing “full solidarity with her”.

The proposal added: “Council reaffirms its commitment to anti-racism and ensuring that this district remains a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds to live and work together in safety and dignity.

“Council further notes the alarming rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric and the failure to implement the Hate Crime Legislation, calls on the First Minister, Deputy First Minister, and the Minister for Justice to take urgent action to address these concerns, including the full implementation of Hate Crime Legislation, and agrees to formally write to [them] to raise these concerns and urge immediate action.

“Council promotes the upcoming public meeting organised by our Mayor, Operation Black Vote, Community on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), United Against Racism, African and Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland (ACSONI), North West Migrants Forum, and other stakeholders to address the rise of far-right extremism, anti-immigrant sentiments, and the targeted harassment of high-profile individuals challenging racism in our communities.”

Sinn Féin councillor Aisling Hutton said the targeting of Mayor Barr was an “absolute disgrace”, while People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin said it was “important that we all stand in solidarity with Lilian and let those people know who are abusing her that we won’t tolerate it.”

Councillor Harkin added: “Unfortunately [social media] has become a cesspit and this is not by accident.

“When people are blaming migrants for the housing crisis, or the healthcare crisis, or for the lack of mental health services in our city, the toxic environment on social media is intentional.”

He said powerful figures were actually creating a platform to encourage ‘pushing more inequality, in order to deflect away from the role of billionaires and governments in creating that inequality’.

“They’re deflecting it onto very vulnerable communities and trying to blame immigration.”

In conclusion, Mayor Barr said she was “certainly not the only one” facing on-line racist abuse, but her position as Mayor meant she was “the face out there”.

“I have a status now and most abuse and harassment is coming to me,” she said. “But I know so many others within our community, who dare to put their names forward to represent their communities, who are also being targeted.

“These are uncertain times and we can see that there is a deliberate push of a narrative that Ireland is full, that there’s mass migration.

“We are confronting that narrative to create awareness that actually it’s not factual.

“Communities are really struggling, we have a crisis, people are dipping down into poverty every single day, but somehow immigrants are being scapegoated and that is not acceptable.”

Andrew Balfour,

Local democracy Reporter.