I think that you are 100% correct that there should be no place for abuse on these forums. I also think that in general people should be supportive and helpful here. Having said that though, if people do post on matters in the news then they (presumably) want to engage with others on that topic. If I was to say (for example) the VW Touran is the worst car in the world, I would expect some ‘discussion’ on the topic.
I also think that many people using the forum may be in a vulnerable group and this lock down affects both them and their families. When people have not seen their children and grandchildren for months because (as was said to me) ‘we don’t want to be the ones that kill you’ then it is hard to accept that discussion on how the lock down is followed doesn’t have a place here.
However, I certainly accept that support and encouragement are also sorely needed so I’ll try to bear that in mind. I’m always a little surprised when people take ‘discussions’ on issues personally, as when I was growing up my Dad and I would argue politics literally for hours but it didn’t affect our relationship. I think I have to be reminded that for some people it isn’t like that!