A DUP council election candidate was threatened and physically intimidated while handing out leaflets at a polling station in Co Londonderry, party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.
The party said Dawn Huggins, a candidate for Causeway Coast and Glens council, had the leaflets ripped from her hand and was told she was not welcome in the area on Thursday morning.
Sir Jeffrey said the man who was a "bully" and insisted there were no no-go areas for his candidates in Northern Ireland.
Read more: Northern Ireland goes to polls for local council elections - LIVE
He said: "One of our candidates standing in the Bann electoral area for Causeway Coast and Glens, Dawn Huggins, was handing out some leaflets outside Macosquin Primary School this morning when a very large gentleman, well over 6ft, approached her and tore the leaflets out of her hand.
"There was significant physical intimidation of our candidate. She was threatened, told to get out of the area.
"I want to be absolutely clear and on behalf of Dawn say this: there are no no-go areas for our candidates in Northern Ireland. This is a democratic process, elections are free and fair in Northern Ireland and candidates are entitled to put forward their perspectives."
The DUP leader called for intimidation of politicians, particularly women, to stop.
He added: "There is no place in our society for this kind of intimidatory behaviour and the DUP will not stand for it.
"She (Ms Huggins) is very badly shaken up by this, very upset by what has happened, by the threats that were made against her, by the physical intimidation to which she was subjected.
"This is entirely wrong. This man is just a bully picking on a woman who has decided to stand for public office. There is no courage or bravery involved in any of that on his part.
"Therefore we stand with Dawn and the courage she has shown putting herself forward for public office."
Sir Jeffrey said the matter had been reported to the PSNI. He continued: "Dawn is not alone. We have seen other women from other parties and from the DUP subjected to this type of intimidatory behaviour and bullying, both online and, in this case, physically in person. It is entirely wrong.
"It is difficult to attract people to stand for public office and this kind of behaviour simply doesn't help.
"Dawn is a courageous woman like the other women who are standing for election, for whatever party they stand, and this intimidation will not deter any of these women or any other candidates from pursuing public office, for standing up for what they believe in and putting themselves forward before the people."
Party colleague and MLA Gordon Lyons said canvassers from other parties came to Ms Huggins' aid.
In a social media post, he said: "I've just spoken with our Bann candidate, Dawn Huggins, who was the victim of physical intimidation at Macosquin polling station this morning and told she was not welcome in the area.
"There are no no-go areas for the DUP or any party in this election. Dawn has not been deterred. Many thanks to the canvassers from other parties who called the police to her aid."
A PSNI spokesman said a man in his 70s who was arrested following the report of an assault in the Macosquin area on Thursday afternoon has been issued with a Community Resolution Notice.
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