Jamie Bryson welcomes support from Irish nationalists over online abuse on Father's Day

The anti-NI Protocol campaigner was targeted by dozens of trolls after he posted a photo of himself with his young son on social media on Sunday.

Several anonymous accounts responded with sectarian and abusive comments, with many suggesting he should not have posted the picture as the abuse was inevitable.

Mr Bryson later posted a statement on the X platform, saying he was proud of his son, and that he was “not going to change to facilitate, or in response to, the disgusting behaviour of others”.

However, he also thanked those nationalists/republicans who had reached out following the abuse.

“He said: “I’ve been contacted by many people from nationalist/republican backgrounds who are aghast.

"This isn’t reflective of that community, instead it is reflective of a small unrepresentative group of deranged lunatics whose self loathing is such they abuse others (inc little children) as therapy for their own issues.

“They aren’t normal, they aren’t acceptable, and I certainly won’t be legitimising them or accepting their justification for their disgraceful behaviour”.

While many of the abusive comments are not suitable for republication, some of the criticism was more reserved.

One user said: “Whilst it is never ok to comment or direct any abuse towards an innocent child, and those doing so should rightly be called out on it, you knew exactly what you were doing”.

However, another said: “It's rare I agree with you (Don't think I could ever agree with you on any other point), but I certainly do on this point.

"I saw this post and feared such despicable comments would be left. You should be able to post family pics”.

In his online statement, Mr Bryson said: “I posted a perfectly benign picture of me with my little boy on Father’s Day. Like every Dad, I am very proud of my son. And like many fathers, on such a special day I like to publicly acknowledge and express that.

"Whatever about my public profile (or anyone’s) I should be entitled to do that. The photo of me and son was lambasted with hundreds of abusive comments, not just about me, but about him”.