Threat to democracy: Conspiracy groups 'becoming increasingly more extreme'

Roderic O'Gorman's fellow minister Helen McEntee said his privacy and property had been 'violated in a disgusting manner' after masked men unfurled defamatory banners at his home. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

Far-right agitators and conspiracy groups are becoming “increasingly more extreme” and experts fear their intimidation and violence could get “far worse” if authorities do not intervene.

The warning comes after a group of up to 12 mainly masked people — predominantly men — gathered outside the home of Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman in west Dublin and defaced the front of his property with huge defamatory banners.