This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8069343.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| MLA 'warned to leave or be shot' | MLA 'warned to leave or be shot' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| SDLP assembly member Dolores Kelly has said she was threatened by a masked man armed with an air gun while election canvassing in Lurgan. | SDLP assembly member Dolores Kelly has said she was threatened by a masked man armed with an air gun while election canvassing in Lurgan. |
| Ms Kelly said she was confronted on Tuesday evening at Kilwilkie Gardens by a man who told her to leave the area or she would be shot. | Ms Kelly said she was confronted on Tuesday evening at Kilwilkie Gardens by a man who told her to leave the area or she would be shot. |
| She said the man pointed the weapon at the face of a party colleague. | She said the man pointed the weapon at the face of a party colleague. |
| Police said the circumstances of the incident were still being established and enquiries were continuing. | Police said the circumstances of the incident were still being established and enquiries were continuing. |
| "We had two teams of canvassers in Kilwilkie and I did notice a crowd of young fellas in a car pull up," said Mrs Kelly. | "We had two teams of canvassers in Kilwilkie and I did notice a crowd of young fellas in a car pull up," said Mrs Kelly. |
| "They drove off again so I thought nothing of it until I heard someone say my name and saw a young man in a balaclava, who told me in no uncertain terms that I was to leave the area or I would be shot. | "They drove off again so I thought nothing of it until I heard someone say my name and saw a young man in a balaclava, who told me in no uncertain terms that I was to leave the area or I would be shot. |
| This person thinks he's being a big man by threatening us, but he's the opposite - a coward is too good a word for him Dolores Kelly | This person thinks he's being a big man by threatening us, but he's the opposite - a coward is too good a word for him Dolores Kelly |
| "He had what seemed to be an air gun. He also threatened another member of my party and pointed the gun directly at his face." | "He had what seemed to be an air gun. He also threatened another member of my party and pointed the gun directly at his face." |
| The Upper Bann representative said she would not be intimidated. | The Upper Bann representative said she would not be intimidated. |
| "Let me make this very clear to those people who think they can intimidate me or my party - they will not," continued Dolores Kelly. | "Let me make this very clear to those people who think they can intimidate me or my party - they will not," continued Dolores Kelly. |
| "This is an affront to democracy. I am proud to be an elected representative for this area and a young thug like that will not deter me from my work. | "This is an affront to democracy. I am proud to be an elected representative for this area and a young thug like that will not deter me from my work. |
| "This type of person offers nothing to the community. There was a teenage girl with me helping me canvass. This person thinks he's being a big man by threatening us, but he's the opposite - a coward is too good a word for him." | "This type of person offers nothing to the community. There was a teenage girl with me helping me canvass. This person thinks he's being a big man by threatening us, but he's the opposite - a coward is too good a word for him." |
| "The matter is now with the PSNI and for the safety of those with me I decided to finish canvassing for the evening after the incident." | "The matter is now with the PSNI and for the safety of those with me I decided to finish canvassing for the evening after the incident." |
| Last year Ms Kelly suffered a minor leg injury and her car was damaged when she was attacked by stone throwers. | |
| She was targeted after condemning dissident republican violence in Craigavon. | |
| The Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board Professor Sir Desmond Rea offered his support to Ms Kelly who is a board member. | |
| "There is no room in our society for those who threaten in this way and the stance taken by Dolores against such threats must be given broad community support," he said. | "There is no room in our society for those who threaten in this way and the stance taken by Dolores against such threats must be given broad community support," he said. |