Paul Hosford: This is not 'hoax' or protest, but base intimidation

The fact that there was no explosive at the Taoiseach's home does not make what happened acceptable, and brushing it off only serves to hand a win to those who support or quietly celebrate these methods

‘Hoax’ does not do justice to what was visited upon Simon Harris' family. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

I'm not privy to the bedtime routine in Simon Harris’ home, but if it’s anything like the thinly veiled chaos that comes with two small children in my house, the first run at bedtime was starting on Wednesday evening when gardaí arrived on foot of a bomb threat.

The Taoiseach’s wife and two small children were at home, possibly bargaining about bedtime stories or bath responsibilities, when gardaí raced to the door after an unknown individual called a charity crisis line to warn of an explosive at the Wicklow home, using a code word.