While Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, DC, someone broke into her California home early on Friday morning and hit her husband Paul Pelosi with a hammer. According to a statement issued by the speaker's office, Paul Pelosi underwent surgery "to repair a skull fracture and major damage to his right arm and hands," but is anticipated to fully recover.
According to a source briefed on the attack, the alleged assailant, David DePape, who has a history of posting conspiracy theories on social media, stated he would wait "until Nancy got home." According to SFPD Chief William Scott, DePape was detained on charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, and several other offences.
This tragic incident is only the most recent in a string of increasing assaults and confrontations against politicians, and women politicians in particular, who frequently experience intolerable online animosity that escalates into threats or acts of violence. Before a politician suffers severe injuries or loses their life, social media networks and law enforcement must take immediate action to halt this abuse.
Threats against members of Congress that US Capitol Police investigated rose by 144% between 2017 and 2021, according to Axios. Women and persons of colour make up a large portion of the lawmakers who have received threats.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins said to The New York Times that "What started with nasty phone calls is now translating into active threats of violence and real violence" after a burglar broke a window in her home. I wouldn't be astonished if a senator or a member of the House were slain, she continued.
Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal has been the target of harassment from a guy who frequently appeared outside her home carrying a weapon. The husband of Jayapal claimed to have overheard two guys shouting profanities and joking that they would stop bothering her neighbourhood if she committed suicide.
In this file photo from January 6, 2021, members of the U.S. As armed supporters of the then-President Donald Trump flooded the country, the Secret Service Counter Assault Team and other federal law enforcement agencies retaliated. Washington's Capitol. File: Scott Applewhite
As threats rise, disgruntled lawmakers seek protection for their families.
When we apply for this job, we "sign up for a number of things," Jayapal told the Times. But it's difficult to express having someone show up at your door brandishing a gun, frightening your neighbours, staff, and obviously attempting to intimidate me.
Republican representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina said last year that obscene graffiti had been written on her house.
Additionally, Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez receives so many threats that she sometimes sleeps in separate places and has a 24-hour security staff. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, a Republican, posted a modified anime movie depicting himself killing her the previous year. (Gosar removed the video but didn't offer an apology. He shared a tweet that contained the video an hour after the House decided to reprimand him and remove him from two committee positions the previous year.)
The New York Post said earlier this week that they had terminated an employee for altering the headline of an online editorial to read, "We must assassinate AOC for America."
 |
