Irish Examiner View: Red line crossed

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, under fire.

On January 6, the world, particularly those countries that imagine themselves secure, stable democracies, got a glimpse of what can happen when the mob is incited. The "patriots" who stormed Washington's Capitol reminded us all of how tenuous democracy can be, especially as less than 10% of the world's population today lives in what might be described as a settled democracy. We are lucky to be numbered in that tiny minority.

It would be disproportionate to compare the events in Washington to the news that Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has felt it necessary to erect a security fence at his Wicklow home.  The Donnelly family has been the focus of a series of incidents when items were thrown at windows or left on doorsteps.

No matter what the motivation behind these intrusions, these breaches of family privacy and security, are neither justified nor excusable. Those who oppose Mr Donnelly are free to stand against him at the next election but they are not free to behave like the unhinged mob unloosed on January 6.