Attempts to either intimidate or even physically target those involved in the democratic process must always be regarded with the utmost seriousness.
The petrol bomb attack on a car belonging to a Sinn Féin election agent in Bangor, Co Down on Monday night was disturbing in every way.
Equally alarming was the incident emerging last week in which a bullet was sent in the post to Nichola Mallon, who is running for the SDLP in north Belfast.
Extremists who respond to political arguments with the threat or the reality of violence must expect to find themselves before the courts without delay.
