Exclusive: Violent threats against politicians becoming more common

December 2, 2019

There have been 44 in the last year alone.

Police are taking threats against politicians seriously after a number of reports show the incidents are getting more violent.

Police have told 1 NEWS they have started keeping records of serious threats, with 44 recorded in the last year alone.

In March, a 47-year-old man was arrested after attacking Green Party co-leader James shaw.

Mr Shaw received a fractured eye socket in the incident.

The Prime Minister has received death threats and abuse online.

“Of course I would hope politics is a place where you can do your job safely and securely, but very unfortunately the entire time I've been in politics, it's been a place where you attract threats,” Jacinda Ardern told 1 NEWS. 

Police say they started keeping records last year.

Half were labelled generic threats, 11 were death threats and there were 10 of harm and threatening behaviour.

Three people were trespassed from Parliament grounds, but only two faced charges.

“I would encourage actually the police doing some of the things they are doing without going over the top and wrapping MPs in cotton wool,” says Simon Bridges. 

It's a subject Golriz Ghahraman is all too familiar with.

“I actually started getting abuse and threats the minute I announced my candidacy - which was unexpected but I kind of announced at the same time Donald Trump was announcing the Muslim ban and I don't think we realise how much New Zealand is amongst the global trends," she says. 

Earlier this year she had to have private security after online threats.

1 NEWS has been told taxpayer-funded private security has been hired for at least one MP while attending a public event because of safety concerns.

Parliamentary Services didn't want to be interviewed but it has changed the way it records and deals with serious incidents after seeing a dramatic rise in both nuisance and threatening phone calls and behaviour in the past year.

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