Linda Burney defends Lidia Thorpe after she clashed with police at Posie Parker anti-trans rally

The treatment of fiery senator Lidia Thorpe at a ‘pro-women’ rally outside Parliament House has been branded ‘disturbing’ by Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney.

Senator Thorpe was filmed being stopped by police as she attempted to interrupt the anti-trans rally held by Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker.

The footage showed Senator Thorpe as she collapsed on the ground, draped in an Aboriginal flag, and tried to crawl away from police.

Ms Burney told ABC Radio on Friday morning she found footage of the incident ‘disturbing and concerning’.

“My concern is for Lidia, I hope she’s getting the support that she should get,’ she said.

Lidia Thorpe (pictured) attempted to storm the podium during British trans critic Posie Parker’s speech for the Let Women Speak rally outside parliament house on Thursday

Pictured: Kellie-Jay Keen watching on as Lidia Thorpe is moved along

Ms Burney said she found footage of the incident ‘disturbing and concerning’

The incident has been referred to the Australian Federal Police professional standards command – a decision Ms Burney supports.

‘I think that… is absolutely appropriate,’ she said.

‘The real issue is to make sure her wellbeing, her welfare, is okay and she’s getting the support that she needs.’

Senator Thorpe claimed she was ‘pulverised’ by police and said Ms Keen-Minshull – who she referred to as ‘filth’ – should not be allowed to speak on Aboriginal land.

Other politicians were less supportive of the controversial independent senator, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton scathing in his assessment of the situation.

Mr Dutton said Senator Thorpe’s actions were ‘shameful’. 

‘The Australian Federal Police should not have to waste their resources in dealing with stunts from Senator Thorpe,’ he said on Thursday. 

The independent ‘black sovereignty’ movement senator later claimed she was ‘pulverised’ by police

Rain bore down on Canberra as Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull (pictured) spoke outside parliament house for the rally

‘It was a pathetic display and she should be embarrassed at her behaviour.’

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus also weighed in on the incident saying the footage showing Senator Thorpe refusing to be picked up by police before moving away on hands and knees was ‘concerning’.

‘I have sought urgent advice from the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police,’ Mr Dreyfus said. 

Ms Keen-Minshull has been touring Australia with rallies held in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart – sparking ferocious counter demonstrations by pro-LGBTQI activists. 

As the rain bore down on Canberra, hundreds of anti-Posie protesters flocked to Ms Keen-Minshull’s ‘pro women’ rally, separated on the lawns of Parliament House by two dozen police officers. 

Draped in an Aboriginal flag, Senator Thorpe made a beeline toward Ms Keen-Marshall, before she was intercepted by police and forced to the ground

Attendees antagonised pro-trans demonstrators by holding signs which read ‘tomboys are not boys’, ‘protest the innocence of children’ and ‘libraries are for books, not perversion’.

On the other side, slogans included ‘bigots in the bin’, ‘f*** off Posie, f**k off’ and ‘you’ve got Nazis on your side’.

After Ms Thorpe’s attempted disruption of Keen-Minshull’s speech – reminiscent of her laying down in front of a float at Mardi Gras last month – the former Greens senator blasted the decision to let the controversial speaker into the country.

‘We do not tolerate this kind of filth being on Ngunnawal and Ngambri country, let alone the Nazi support that these people have,’ she said. 

‘They are racist, they are homophobic, they are destroying people’s lives. This country should be ashamed that they even let people like this into this country.

‘I went to tell her that they are not welcome here, and I got pulverised by the police by simply telling that person that they are not allowed to be here.

‘I’ve been assaulted by the police today as a sovereign Gunnai, Gunditjmara, DjabWurrung woman.

‘And the police need to answer for the assault but also this government needs to answer why these people are allowed into the country.’

LIDIA THORPE’S PROTEST AGAINST POLICE AT SYDNEY’S MARDI GRAS

Lidia Thorpe has said she’s ‘proud’ of her protest at Mardi Gras after she laid down in the middle of the parade and clashed with police. 

The former Greens senator drew boos from the crowd as she disrupted the parade along Oxford Street in Sydney.

Daily Mail Australia watched as Senator Thorpe suddenly crashed the police section of the parade holding her arms crossed above her head yelling ‘f**k the police’.

After chasing down officers as they marched, she repeatedly yelled her slogan in their faces as others confronted her.

She then jumped in front of the Australian Federal Police float and laid down on the ground, bringing it to a stop.

Senator Thorpe addressed her behaviour the morning after, saying she was ‘proud’ of her action.

‘Black and brown trans women started the first pride march as a protest against police violence,’ she wrote on Twitter.

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

Senator Thorpe was later pictured lying on her back in front of a float as it tried to travel down Oxford Street as two police officers asked her to move on amid ‘boos’ from the crowd

Footage of her protest circulated around social media on Sunday morning with her antics drawing plenty of criticism. 

‘She’s zero respect for LGBTQIA people. The woman is a disgrace!’ one wrote.

Another added: ‘Is there anywhere that Lidia Thorpe can go and just act like a normal human being? 

‘Is it really that hard to conduct yourself in a decent manner??’

‘In a desperate attempt for attention & relevance, activist Lidia Thorpe lays down in front of #MardiGras2023 parade float preventing it from moving forward, scuffles with police & allegedly yelled ‘F*** the police’,’ a third person wrote.

‘A total disgrace to elected office!’ 

No charges were laid and there was no arrests. 

Ms Thorpe marched with the ‘No Pride in Genocide’ float, who campaign for zero police presence at Mardi Gras and was earlier pictured wearing First Nations colours and holding an Aboriginal Flag handbag. 

Senator Thorpe wore Aboriginal colours and held a ‘No Pride in Genocide’ sign to the iconic parade