Arabic version: الشرطة تحقق في بالونات تهديدية خارج مكتب ستينسون

According to ABC News, South Australian Labor MP Jayne Stinson was targeted with threatening, sexist and abusive messages written on balloons left outside her electorate office in Plympton. SA Police said it was investigating a threatening message left on one balloon.

Stinson, the member for Badcoe in Adelaide’s inner south-west, said staff arriving at her Marion Road office found balloons at the front of the building and in the car park. They initially believed the balloons could have been sent for her birthday, but she said the situation “turned dark pretty quickly” when staff saw messages containing threats to her safety and life.

Stinson said some balloons included threats to burn her, swear words and sexist names. Several also carried the words “stop the chop”, a slogan associated with a campaign opposing government projects in South Australia’s parklands. One staff member popped a balloon while cleaning up and was covered in powder, Stinson said, prompting her to tell him to call police.

Police said there were no reported injuries or property damage. In a statement, SA Police said threatening, intimidating or menacing behaviour was not acceptable and could constitute a criminal offence. The force said it had seen an increase in threats directed at elected representatives, candidates and others involved in public life, and said conduct intended to cause fear, alarm or intimidation would be taken seriously.

Stinson said police were searching for two people believed to have left the balloons. She said protest and raising concerns with an MP were encouraged, but intimidation was not part of democratic exchange. Adelaide Park Lands Association president Mat Monti also called the targeting “completely unacceptable”, saying Stinson should not be made to feel unsafe for doing her job.