Lidia Thorpe’s Mardi Gras protest has divided the nation

Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe made a major mistake during her protest at this weekend’s Mardi Gras parade, drawing a fresh wave of public condemnation.

Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe made a major mistake during her protest at this weekend’s Mardi Gras parade, drawing a fresh wave of public condemnation.

The Senator – who defected from the Greens earlier this month to speak independently for the Blak sovereign movement – caused a stir when she disrupted the Saturday night parade until she was escorted away by police.

Though it was initially reported to have been an Australian Federal Police float that Senator Thorpe stopped, it has been confirmed that it was the Twenty10 and QLife float – community organisations that provide support for gay, lesbian and transgender children.

The float followed immediately after the AFP’s.

Lidia Thorpe at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Picture: Twitter

The Senator was filmed lying in front of a float during the parade.

In videos captured of the incident by Mardi Gras revellers and shared on social media, Ms Thorpe could be seen confronting members of the AFP who were marching in the parade and yelling profanities, before lying in front of a float.

She momentarily halted the parade at about 9pm, while two NSW Police officers spoke to her.

In the footage, revellers can be heard booing the Senator and calling on police to “get rid of her” and “get her up” before what looked to be event organisers or marshals intervening.

At one stage, the Senator swats away the hand of one of the officers before standing up and pointing a finger at them.

Senator Thorpe stood up and was seen talking to officials and police.

A statement from NSW Police said she was removed from the parade “at the request of organisers for breaching the terms of her participation”.

But Ms Thorpe said on Sunday she was “proud” to have taken part in the parade.

“Black and brown trans women started the first pride march as a protest against police violence,” she wrote on Twitter on Sunday morning.

“Today, we still face violence from police.

“Proud to have joined the #PrideInProtest float in Sydney to say #NoPrideInGenocide, #NoPrideInPrisons, and #NoCopsInPride.”

Black and brown trans women started the first pride march as a protest against police violence. Today, we still face violence from police. Proud to have joined the #PrideInProtest float in Sydney to say #NoPrideInGenocide, #NoPrideInPrisons, and #NoCopsInPride

— Senator Lidia Thorpe (@SenatorThorpe) February 25, 2023

But her major mistake – that was widely misreported – has drawn a fresh wave of criticism against the Senator’s disruptive actions against a worthy that have divided social media: with as many applauding the independent Senator’s disruptive act as there were people enraged by the “cheap self publicity stunt”.

2GB announcer Ben Fordham served a brutal take-down on Monday, saying it was a “whole new low for the rogue Senator”.

“Boy, she must be proud,” he said.

“She blocked the celebration of two community groups that helped young people. These are members of the community who have faced discrimination and isolation and you would think that Lidia Thorpe would have some respect for their cause.”

He said even by Ms Thorpe’s “low standards … this is a new low” for the “professional troublemaker”.

Senator Thorpe lying in front of the float.

Since 1982, Twenty10 (including the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service NSW), which is an official partner of QLife – a support hotline service – has provided free, accessible housing, mental health and psychosocial support programs to LGBTQIA+ youth.

Twenty10 chief executive Jain Moralee said this year’s parade entry was “focused on celebrating over 50 years of continuous service in our LGBTIQA+ communities”.

More than 100 young people, volunteers and staff took part in the parade.

“The young people had an amazing time,” Ms Moralee told news.com.au.

“Whilst we knew there was a hold up, our focus when in the parade is the safety and wellbeing of the young people we are with, which is always our priority.”

The float Senator Thorpe stopped was not for the AFP, but for a community organisation supporting LGBTQIA+ youth.

She said they did not have any details of Senator Thorpe’s protest but “after a short pause” the group continued their parade and celebrations.

“The first Mardi Gras march was a movement of people taking action and fighting for their rights, and Twenty10 pays our respect to the 78ers, and we acknowledge the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, whose lands we marched and celebrated on – and pays respect to their Elders past and present,” Ms Moralee said.

But others were not as understanding, including Ben Fordham, who declared Senator Thorpe’s actions show she was “unfit for public office”.

2GB presenter Ben Fordham issued a brutal take-down to Lidia Thorpe on Monday. Picture: Gaye Gerard

2GB spoke with the man who filmed the video of Ms Thorpe lying before a truck, who said he thought she was “just a drunken weirdo”.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet slammed Ms Thorpe’s behaviour.

“It’s just typical Lidia Thorpe. It’s a disgrace,” he told 2GB.

“As a society, we need to respect different views and not just tolerate it, but celebrate different perspectives and what we see from Lidia Thorpe and the Greens is this negativity and worse than that, this divisive nature of their politics.”

Environment Minister Ms Plibersek described Ms Thorpe’s protest as “sad”.

“Overall it was a fantastic night of celebration. We recognise how far we’ve come in Australia as a society that is inclusive of all,” she told Sunrise.

“It was a great night and I don’t think that affected it for most people.”

Lidia Thorpe is an expert at division. It’s so sad to watch her trying so hard to cause division over who was responsible for LGBTQIA+ progress - when the Mardi Gras is a literal celebration of diversity and inclusion. What a shame. pic.twitter.com/P9B240ZLEv

— Victoria Fielding (@DrVicFielding) February 26, 2023

Several Twitter users accused Senator Thorpe of being an “attention seeker”, and “a narcissist” who has “zero respect for LGBTQIA people”, and of stoking division.

“Lidia Thorpe is an expert at division,” journalist Victoria Fielding added. “It’s so sad to watch her trying so hard to cause division over who was responsible for LGBTQIA+ progress – when the Mardi Gras is a literal celebration of diversity and inclusion. What a shame.”

And Queensland Senator Pauling Hanson added to the pile-on, using the protest to voice her opposition to the Voice to parliament referendum.

“Think giving a greater Voice to extremists like Lidia Thorpe and her ‘Blak’ Nationalist supporters won’t divide Australia? Think again,” she wrote on Twitter.

“Don't divide Australia along racial lines. Vote no to Albanese’s race-based Voice to parliament.”

Think giving a greater Voice to extremists like Lidia Thorpe and her “Blak” Nationalist supporters won’t divide Australia?

Think again.

Don’t divide Australia along racial lines.

Vote no to Albanese’s race-based Voice to parliament. pic.twitter.com/aHyCXckhJf

— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) February 26, 2023

Meanwhile, a chorus of members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies voiced their support for the Senator and her protest, saying it aligned with the beliefs of the community and the whole purpose of Mardi Gras.

“Lidia Thorpe did the queerest thing out of anyone at that co-opted, corporatised, pinkwashed excuse for a Pride march,” one user wrote.

“(And) it aligns (with) the sentiments/needs of the most vulnerable members of the LGBTQIA+ community – (and) marginalised communities at large. Thank you @SenatorThorpe.”

“As a Queer person I couldn’t be more pleased that Lidia Thorpe disrupted the police float last night. No cops at Pride, you’re hearing it more and more!” one user wrote.

as a Queer person I couldn’t be more pleased that Lidia Thorpe disrupted the police float last night. No cops at Pride, you’re hearing it more and more!! 🌈✊

— Joshua Badge (@joshuabadge) February 26, 2023

But journalist Patrick Lenton said it was “funny how people don’t understand that the entire point of protest is to be disruptive”.

“Lidia Thorpe could write a polite letter to the king of the police that will do nothing, or she can actually centre cops at Pride as part of the conversation,” he wrote.

Indigenous rights activist Nessa Turnbull-Roberts said Senator Thorpe “stood for the bodies that do not have the privilege to stand here today”.

“In fact, many of these bodies were killed by the policing state,” she tweeted. “These bodies continue to be targeted in prisons and by violence in the nation. Enough is enough.”

Lidia Thorpe, stood for the bodies that do not have the privilege to stand here today. In fact, many of these bodies were killed by the policing state.

These bodies continue to be targeted in prisons and by violence in the nation.

Enough is enough.

— Nessa Turnbull-Roberts (@TurnbullVanessa) February 26, 2023

Another said the biggest disruption to the event was not the Senator’s protest, but the police “terrorising the community using drug dogs and strip searches while they were in queues after the parade”.

And Pride in Protest – the organisation that invited Senator Thorpe to attend – said she had its “full solidarity”.

“Police violence against marginalised communities continues unabated,” it wrote.

“Blak people, trans people, and all minorities are attacked by the same cops, and vilified for it by the same corporate media. That’s why we strongly oppose the pinkwashing of the police.”

Blak people, trans people, and all minorities are attacked by the same cops, and vilified for it by the same corporate media. That’s why we strongly oppose the pinkwashing of the police.#NoPrideInGenocide#NoPrideInPrisons#NoCopsInPride#WeassociatewithLidia

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— Pride in Protest (@prideinprotest) February 26, 2023

The AFP declined to comment on the Senator’s protest. News.com.au has approached the SydneyGay and Lesbian Mardi Gras organisers for comment.

Originally published as Lidia Thorpe’s Mardi Gras protest has divided the nation