Man Charged Over Peter Robinson Death Threat

A man has been charged with threatening to kill Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Peter Robinson.

The 34-year-old is due to appear in court on Thursday, charged with making threats to kill as well as improper use of a public electronic communications network.

It has been reported the man threatened to kill via a phone call, and that the threat is a result of the ongoing dispute over the flying of the union flag above Belfast City Hall.

The man is due to appear at Newtownards Magistrates' Court, in County Down.

The threat follows ten days of protest from loyalists and unionists across Northern Ireland after a decision was made to restrict the flying of the union flag above Belfast City Hall.

In a vote on Monday last week, Belfast City Council decided to remove the flag and only fly it on designated days.

Nationalists had initially planned to vote for the complete removal of the flag, but agreed to back an Alliance Party compromise.

The death threat against Peter Robinson follows attacks and threats on Northern Ireland’s politicians.

Alliance Party MP Naomi Long received a death threat last week, while this week the DUP’s Edwin Poots and Jeffrey Donaldson received similar threats.

Last night the Limavady office of an SDLP assembly member was vandalised.

East L’Derry MLA John Dallat said a party sign was torn from the wall and a union flag was placed on the building.

Loyalists and unionists have said they will continue to protest every night until the union flag is reinstated on Belfast City Hall permanently.

(IT)