Kirstie Edwards Falmouth mayor elect appeal over abuse

Cllr Kirstie Edwards who is due to put on the chains of office in May, made the appeal on her official Facebook page.

The appeal comes as the Jo Cox Foundation, set up in memory of the Labour MP who was assassinated by a white supremacist in 2016, found that abuse and intimidation of elected officials was becoming more common.

In her post Cllr Edwards said she had had to involve the police a number of times and was regularly accosted in town by people "ranting" at her. 

Kirstie Edwards says she has been abused online and in the street (Image: Kirstie Edwards/Facebook)

"Being in public office -as an unpaid volunteer- some people feel they own you and have the right to demand, be rude, threaten and Intimidate you," she said. "I’ve had to involve the police a number of times.

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"I am a human being first. A mama. A woman. A daughter. A sister. A friend. A partner.

"Can you imagine how it feels to read the things people write about me to my parents, partner, siblings, friends and to my children!?

"I regularly get accosted in town in the evenings by people ranting at me.

"Please think before you write or say things you wouldn’t say to someone in other circumstances.

"We are real people and have the right to feel safe."

Cllr Edwards, the current deputy mayor was voted in as the new mayor by the town council last month.

The final confirmation of her new role, just two years after joining the council, will take place on May 22.