Lidia Thorpe says Sam Kerr is a victim of racism as racially aggravated trial continues

Controversial senator Lidia Thorpe hasn’t held back in weighing in on Sam Kerr’s trial over a charge of racially aggravated harassment against a cop. Watch video.

Lidia Thorpe has backed Sam Kerr in a fiery Senate speech, calling the police officer in her trial a racist who “benefits from white supremacy”.

Kerr said she was treated differently by London’s Met Police because of the “colour of my skin” and it was “triggering” to not be believed after she had a drunken dispute with a taxi driver where she had never been so scared in her life.

The 31-year-old Matildas star was cross examined at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court on Wednesday after she was charged with one count of racially aggravated harassment of British police officer PC Stephen Lovell on January 30, 2023 after she had an argument with a taxi driver over a fare.

As the court trial is underway, Ms Thorpe took to the Senate to express her support for Kerr, describing her as a victim of racism that countless other women face “every day.”

“I stand with Sam Kerr. What Sam experienced that night is what so many black and brown women experience every single day,” Senator Thorpe said in parliament.

“She had been locked in a taxi for 20 minutes, unsure of where she was going or whether she was being kidnapped. Her simple request to that police officer was that he put himself in her shoes.

“But instead of interviewing the taxi driver to investigate Sam’s concerns, the police officer decided to belittle and ignore her.

Lidia Thorpe took to the Senate to express her support for Kerr, describing her as a victim of racism that countless other women face “every day.” Picture: Martin Ollman

“This is racism. For those who need a reminder, here is a quick definition: racism is a system of power and oppression based on race, a system of which social standards, institutions, laws and political decisions establish and reinforce norms that uphold inequalities between racial groups.

“Racism is about how power works to oppress people [who are] already copping it. It is a system that upholds white supremacy, like this place [federal parliament].

“A white cop who is a part of a system that upholds white supremacy and who benefits from white supremacy cannot be a victim of white supremacy – come on.”

Kerr, who describes herself as white Anglo-Indian, told the court she felt “embarrassed” after watching body cam footage of her from the night.

She said growing up in Australia race has “always been a touchy subject” and said she still believes two years on that the taxi driver tried to kidnap her and her partner, international football player Kristie Mewis.

Kerr was asked by prosecution barrister Bill Emlyn Jones KC if she was “kicking off” during the cab ride where a dispute erupted after she vomited while in the vehicle and how good her memory was given she was drunk and passed out.

“Pretty good,” she said.

Australian footballer Sam Kerr arrives at Kingston-Upon-Thames Crown Court. Picture: Getty Images

He then asked her why she couldn’t recall about 20 hours later when she was interviewed by police about calling PC Lovell “f---ing stupid and white” and only knew that she did so after later seeing body cam footage.

The court heard Kerr had been on a “date” with Ms Mewis, who is now pregnant with the couple’s first baby boy that is due in May, and they had dinner at Amazonico London in the exclusive suburb of Mayfair, before then attending a birthday party at nearby restaurant Bagatelle.

Kerr will continue being cross examined on Thursday and Ms Mewis will also give evidence.

Originally published as Lidia Thorpe says Sam Kerr is a victim of racism as racially aggravated trial continues