‘She should be embarrassed’: Peter Dutton slams Lidia Thorpe’s behaviour at Let Women Speak event
Senator Lidia Thorpe has been lashed after being tackled by police after she tried to disrupt a controversial protest in Canberra.
National
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Opposition leader Peter Dutton has become the latest politician to slam controversial Senator Lidia Thorpe for her attendance at a ‘women’s rights’ rally that resulted in a scuffle with federal police, labelling her actions as “pathetic” and “embarrassing”.
The Liberal Party leader denounced the Senator after video emerged of her being wrestled to the ground for trying to disrupt trans-critic and women’s rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull at a rally outside Canberra’s Parliament House on Thursday.
Senator Thorpe was filmed parading an Aboriginal flag while charging at Ms Keen-Minshull, who also goes by the name Posie Parker, before she was intercepted by authorities and driven to the ground.
She then crawled away with the flag still in hand, before standing up and marching towards a group of pro-trans activists.
Mr Dutton has since condemned the rogue senator’s “shameful” actions, which adds to a growing list of stunts Senator Thorpe has performed to make a statement about her outspoken views.
“The Australian Federal Police should not have to waste their resources in dealing with stunts from Senator Thorpe,” the former Home Affairs Minister said on Thursday.
“It was a pathetic display and she should be embarrassed at her behaviour.”
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus also spoke out about the incident, claiming it was “concerning” to see the senator scrabbling away on her hands and knees to escape police.
“I have sought urgent advice from the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP),” Mr Dreyfus said.
The AFP have since released a statement saying a review into the matter is under way and has been referred to their Professional Standards Command.
“Given a matter is now under investigation, no further comments will be made,” it said.
Meanwhile, One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson has also unleashed a scathing tirade on Senator Thorpe, telling Sky News host Peta Credlin she was “disgusted” and her actions were “pathetic from a senator”.
“I was there … you can see me in the footage anyway in the white dress, that was me and I was disgusted with her actions of her coming there to protest carrying the Aboriginal flag,” Senator Hanson said.
She added she couldn’t hear what Senator Thorpe said word-for-word however did acknowledge she heard the phrase “you’re on Aboriginal land”.
“(These) are her actions all the time, she wants relevance all the time, she’s trying to make a name for herself,” she said.
Senator Thorpe told reporters after the ordeal she didn’t “tolerate this kind of filth” in relation to the meaning behind Ms Keen-Minshull’s rally.
“They are racist, they’re homophobic, they are destroying people’s lives and this country should be ashamed that they even let people like this into this country,” she said.
“Now I went to tell her or that thing, that they are not welcome here.
“I’ve been assaulted by the police today as a sovereign Gunnai Gunditjmara DjabWurrung woman and the police need to answer for the assault but also this government needs to answer why these people are allowed in this country.”
In recent weeks, Ms Keen-Minshull has been travelling around Australia for her Let Women Speak tour which has sparked major protests and clashes between opposing groups on several occasions.
The women’s rights campaigner has been attacked as a “transphobe” for her opposing views towards puberty blockers, transgender women in female sports and the opening up of female bathrooms to biological men.
On Sunday, large crowds of pro and anti-trans activists clashed at the steps of Victoria’s Parliament House while neo-Nazi’s stormed the building’s steps parading a sign reading “Destroy Peado Freaks”.
Controversial Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming attended the event alongside Ms Keen-Minshull, with her presence sparking the state’s Opposition Leader John Pesutto to lodge a move to expel her from the party.
Ms Deeming has since come forward stating she won’t go down without a fight, with a decision about her future in the Victorian Liberal party to be determined as soon as Monday.
Originally published as ‘She should be embarrassed’: Peter Dutton slams Lidia Thorpe’s behaviour at Let Women Speak event
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