New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has described the protest action staged by Senator Lidia Thorpe as “disgraceful”.

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The Victorian senator temporarily halted the iconic parade when she lay in front of one of the floats. Initially it was reported that the senator’s protest was in front of a float for the Australian Federal Police, but it has subsequently been confirmed that she actually stopped the float for youth organisation Twenty10.

In footage from the event Senator Thorpe can be seen yelling “F*** the police” as officers tried to remove her from the road. Police participation in the Mardi Gras parade has been a longstanding point of contention within the LGBTIQA+ communities.

Police eventually persuaded the senator to allow the parade to continue and she was asked to leave the event by organisers. Police have confirmed she will not be charged over the stunt.

Speaking on Sydney radio station 2GB premier Perrottet said the senator’s behaviour was “disgraceful”.

“Her poor behaviour just continues. As a society, we need to respect different views and not just tolerate it, but celebrate different perspectives and what we see from Lidia Thorpe and the Greens is this negativity and worse than that, this divisive nature of their politics.” Perrottet told host Ben Fordham.

The premier said he had not been able to attend the Mardi Gras parade due to a prior engagement. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Opposition leader Chris Minns both marches in the parade, Albanese becoming the first sitting Prime Minister to march in the event.

Following her protest Senator Thorpe posted a message to Twitter saying she had taken her action as a protest against police involvement, noting that the Pride movement from its earliest days involved women of colour and a protest against the police.

“Black and brown trans women started the first pride march as a protest against police violence,” she tweeted.

“Today, we still face violence from police. Proud to have joined the #PrideInProtest float in Sydney to say #NoPrideInGenocide, #NoPrideInPrisons, and #NoCopsInPride.”

OIP Staff

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