Police drag away Robbie Katter after clash with pro-Palestine protesters

Two MPs, including a maverick politician’s son, have clashed with pro-Palestine protesters at state parliament, forcing police to drag them away.

Police were forced to drag Robbie Katter away from a brutal clash with pro-Palestine protesters on the steps of state parliament on Thursday.

Mr Katter, the Australian Party leader and son of outspoken Queensland MP Bob Katter, and fellow MP Nick Dametto left parliament holding a sign reading “CONDEMN HAMAS” and were filmed brandishing the sign at the protesters and pointing their fingers at them.

One protester reached over the fence and grabbed the sign from Mr Dametto, scrunching it up and throwing it on the ground, causing further hostility.

The two MPs were filmed standing before the screaming mob, pointing their fingers at them and yelling back at them.

Robbie Katter and Nick Dametto clash with a group of pro-Palestine protesters. Picture: Supplied

One woman in the front of the crowd was particularly animated, unleashing bloodcurdling screams of “shame” at the MPs while Mr Katter hurled his own comments back at her.

The group of protesters, all advocating for a ceasefire between Israel’s IDF and Hamas, joined the “shame” chant at government staff entering and exiting the building.

As the pointing and screaming continued to escalate, the police officer supervising the interaction was filmed physically moving on Mr Katter and Mr Dametto, encouraging them to disengage and leave the crowd be.

However even as the two MPs were frogmarched off, the crowd continued yelling at them and the pair continued retaliating.

One protester reached over the fence and grabbed the sign from Nick Dametto, scrunching it up and throwing it on the ground. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Rallies have been held at least weekly since the deadly October 7 attacks in Israel, with protesters calling for the ceasefire after at least 30,000 Palestinian and 1163 Jews have been killed.

In parliament on Wednesday evening, Mr Katter rose to reject a pro-Palestine motion by a Greens MP and called it a “one-sided, biased view”.

“(It) is very narrow-minded and has not taken into consideration the fullness of what is a complex international situation,” the KAP leader said.

Local, state and federal Greens MPs representatives were expected to attend the pro-Palestine rally, including national party leader Adam Bandt.

It comes as fellow Greens MP Michael Berkman moved a motion in parliament on Wednesday night to address the deadly conflict and “Israel’s bombardment of Palestine”.

“This government can no longer evade responsibility for its part in the unfolding genocide in Palestine,” the member for Maiwar said.

Rallies have been held at least weekly since the deadly October 7 attacks in Israel. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Police stepped in to drag the MPs away. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

“Since the Hamas attacks on 7 October last year – and I want to put on the record again, to avoid any doubt, that the Greens unequivocally condemn those attacks on civilians – Israel has retaliated with such devastating and unbridled force that it is hard to witness and it is impossible to bear.

“This motion calls for an end to support for the weapons manufacturers enabling Israel’s war crimes and to instead ensure humanitarian aid is reinstated.

“It calls on this government to break its silence on Palestine and to advocate for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages and political prisoners.”

Originally published as Police drag away Robbie Katter after clash with pro-Palestine protesters