AFP launches investigation into clash between Lidia Thorpe, police at anti-trans rally

Lidia Thorpe was pushed to the ground by police as she tried to interrupt a rally by Kellie-Jay Keen | WATCH

Lidia Thorpe crawls away after being thrown to the ground by police while trying to interrupt an anti-trans rally. Picture: Twitter

The Australian Federal Police has launched an investigation following a clash between Independent senator Lidia Thorpe and officers at an anti-transgender rally outside Parliament House on Thursday.

“The AFP is aware of a matter relating to protests near Australian Parliament House today,” a statement from the agency released on Thursday said.

“The interactions between the AFP and protestors will be reviewed, and an incident has been referred to the AFP’s Professional Standards Command.

“Given a matter is now under investigation, no further comments will be made.”

Senator Thorpe was pushed to the ground by police after she attempted to take the stage at an anti-trans rally on the lawn of Parliament House.

The incident happened as Senator Thorpe tried to interrupt a rally by Kellie-Jay “Posy” Keen on Thursday afternoon, following similar demonstrations in Melbourne and Tasmania.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has been stopped by police from Kellie-Jay Keen’s speech, right in front of Pauline Hanson before joining the counter-rally via @canberratimes#auspolpic.twitter.com/nYUPBAHWCF

— Sarah Basford Canales (@sbasfordcanales) March 23, 2023

Fewer than 30 protesters had gathered to hear Ms Keen - who runs Let Women Speak - while a short distance away, hundreds of trans-right activists were gathered.

In footage shared online, the independent senator – draped in an Aboriginal flag – stormed into the small crowd of transgender rights critics and cried “You are not welcome” until she was pulled to the ground, where she could be seen draped in the the flag before crawling away. Eventually she stood back up and walked over to the larger group.

Speaking to media after the incident, Senator Thorpe said people in this country “should be ashamed that they even let people like this in this country

“I went to tell her one thing – that they are not welcome here,” she said.

“And I got pulverised by the police

“I’ve been assaulted by the police today, as an (Indigenous) woman and the police need to answer for the assault, and also this government needs to answer why these people are allowed into this country.”

Speakers shun Kellie-Jay Keen Canberra rally over safety fear

High-profile speakers had earlier withdrawn from the rally, citing fears for their safety, with organisers blaming police for refusing to keep them separated from transgender ­activists.

Former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves and Liberal Tasmanian senator Claire Chandler were among those to flag a withdrawal from the rally, hosted by Ms Keen, the British transgender rights critic.

Both blamed fears for their safety, after Tuesday’s Keen rally in Hobart was besieged by hundreds of transgender rights supporters, and her event in Melbourne on Saturday was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

Senator Chandler posted her speech on Facebook, suggesting it was unsafe and pointless to try to deliver it in person.

“I haven’t seen a single word of a speech given at the last two events reported by Australian media, with the entire focus consumed by those there to disrupt and scream over the top of women trying to speak about their rights or, in the case of the Melbourne event, to hijack the event,” Senator Chandler said.

“There is no assurance that it is even going to be safe for women to attend Thursday’s event.”

British activist Kellie-Jay Keen. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ms Deves accused the Australian Federal Police of a “dereliction of duty”, alleging it had refused to provide an assurance to organisers it would keep the Keen camp physically distanced from pro-transgender protesters. “Seeing what’s happened in the other two cities (Melbourne and Hobart), that the police would be prepared to allow the counter-protesters to get within arm’s length and spitting distance from us is a dereliction of duty,” Ms Deves said.

“At this stage” she did not intend to attend. “I don’t trust the police to keep us safe and I think the threat of mob violence is so great I need to put my safety first,” she said.

Ms Keen said the rally would “100 per cent” proceed and her private security had, after liaising with the AFP, concluded that all speakers’ safety could be assured. “Quite rightly, women feel afraid because that was the whole point of the mob – enabled by police and politicians – which is absolutely disgusting,” she said. “There are questions to answer about how the police behaved, and how the politicians behaved.

“(But) for me, it’s out of the question that when we are intimidated that we allow those that wish to silence us to (do so) … It’s just not going to happen.”

An ACT Policing spokesman said any criminal behaviour would “not be tolerated”.

Additional reporting: NCA NewsWire