Laura Kuenssberg is no stranger to receiving abuse and threats online for her work, but Wednesday saw things particularly ramped up thanks to an article published by left-wing blog The Canary.
The BBC political editor had already been receiving delights such as this on Twitter:
Kuenssberg has faced a barrage of criticism and vile abuse ever since she was accused of bias in a question to Jeremy Corbyn in late 2015.
So it was not a total shock, though still deeply concerning, when reports emerged claiming she had been assigned a bodyguard while reporting on the Labour party conference.
Despite revelations about vile abuse directed at her, many felt it appropriate to question why she needed a bodyguard at all.
Then the Canary published its article.
The pro-Corbyn site initially claimed that Kuenssberg was speaking at a fringe event of the upcoming Tory party conference, which begins on Sunday.
The article read: “The news raises questions about the impartiality of the journalist and her organisation. Again.”
It included a screengrab of the speakers’ list for an event organised by the Centre for Social Justice, the centre-right think tank founded by Iain Duncan Smith, and the Living Wage Foundation.
But the listing the Canary based its story on merely stated Kuenssberg had been “invited”.
The BBC publicly responded by explaining that no, she was not speaking at the event and never had been.
The Canary amended its article, but that didn’t stop this sort of thing being sent to her...
As part of Jeremy Corbyn’s headline speech, the Labour leader referenced the horrific abuse received by shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, and led the crowd in a standing ovation for her.
He said: “The campaign led by the Tories and their loyal media was nasty and personal - and it fuelled abuse online.
“And no-one was a target of that more than Diane Abbott.”
Daily Mirror deputy editor Kevin Maguire drew parallels with the treatment of Kuenssberg.
Alas, this prompted another wave, with some denying she had suffered any abuse and others suggesting she “deserved” any she did receive...
And, of course, this sort of gem always pops up:
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband also called on The Canary to delete or further amend their article, also drawing on Corbyn’s speech:
While the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox also slammed the story:
Other journalists began expressing their support for Kuenssberg, with New Statesman deputy editor Helen Lewis publishing a column in which she slammed the Canary for running a “sexist hate campaign”
The Canary has not yet spoken out about the criticism of their site.