Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe rages against ‘racists’ amid neo-Nazi attack

Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe has exploded amid threats of racist violence and intimidation made against her by neo-Nazis.

Lidia Thorpe has unleashed a furious response to being targeted in a disturbing video by a suspected neo-Nazi group threatening her and burning the Aboriginal flag.

Speaking during a press conference outside the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne on Thursday, Senator Thorpe accused the Voice referendum of causing “nothing but pain and misery for my people in this country”.

“The referendum is an act of genocide against my people and the Prime Minister knows exactly what he’s doing. He wants the f**king fascists to come out and get me – that’s what he wants,” she told media.

“His violent force that he has sent to protect me can’t even protect me. Refused to protect the Black sovereign woman because the police are part of the problem in this country – and I can’t ring triple zero and I can’t rely on Victorian police.”

ABC had been broadcasting the press conferenece live but quickly cut away when she launched her attack.

Senator Lidia Thorpe raged against the upcoming referendum. Picture: Supplied.

The independent senator was tagged in a disturbing video posted overnight by far-right extremists.

The clip, which was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by a group calling themselves the “warriors of convict resistance”, depicted a man in a balaclava reading a racist statement, burning an Indigenous flag, and performing a Nazi salute.

Visibly distressed, Senator Thorpe declared she had been “in exile” for months and would not back down to racist attacks.

“Where is my support? Where is my protection in this country? You paint me as an angry black woman. You are about to see an angry black woman,” she roared.

“People want to kill me out there, they don’t want me to have my Voice, they want me to feel good and assimilate my Voice into their constitution.

“I’m not hiding for the next nine days. You are going to hear from me. I’m not scared. Come at me.”

At one point she turned her attention to a disruptive onlooker, telling them to “f***off”.

This marks the second time the group has targeted the Indigenous senator after she was sent a similar ‘violent and distressing video’ in February 2022. Picture: Martin Ollman/NCA NewsWire.

During his own press conference later on Thursday, Anthony Albanese confirmed he had seen the video.

He called for people to be “respectful during this debate” and said Nazi rhetoric had “no place in discourse in Australian political life”.

Asked what his response was to Senator Thorpe blaming him for the extremists targeting her, Mr Albanese said he wasn’t going to engage in that level of debate.

“I would just say that it is appropriate that people be respectful in this debate,” he said.

“I will continue to conduct myself respectfully.”

Earlier on Thursday, Government Services Minister Bill Shorten condemned the video as “gutless”.

“I think it’s cowardly and disgusting. I don’t know what it is with these man-baby Nazis, wearing a hood so no one can see you,” Mr Shorten said on Thursday.

Burning the Aboriginal flag is a ‘cowardly and gutless' act, Bill Shorten said. Picture: Nine.

“The Aboriginal flag is a recognised flag, sending it (a video) and trying to pressure one of our senators and abuse them – I wish that bloke would take his hood off so people can see what kind of joker he is.”

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil called the video “menacing and disgusting.”

“We cannot live in a strong democracy like Australia for someone to be treated this way,” Ms O’Neil said on Thursday.

“It is appalling, disgusting and the Australian government will be doing everything we can to support senator Lidia Thorpe through what must be an absolutely terrifying experience.”

The video’s posting follows an increasing presence of far-right neo-Nazi groups in Australia ahead of the Voice referendum.

Neo-Nazis gatecrashed the end of a No rally in Melbourne on September 23. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui/NCA NewsWire.

Neo-Nazis have publicly gathered on numerous occasions in recent months, including at an anti-Voice rally outside Victoria’s state parliament in late September.

Ms O’Neil said she was “extremely worried” about a rise in far-right activity in the lead-up to October 14 and noted that security agencies remained on high alert.

“A lot of different people are being radicalised and joining these communities online and then working together and getting more violent in their radical activities,” Ms O’Neil said.

“What I would say to Australians is I’m very privileged to work with our security agencies in this country – they are very, very, very good at what they do.

“They watch these groups very closely and it is a big focus of our government to make sure that we stay on top of these problems.”