Senator Lidia Thorpe sparks outrage with fiery remarks at Melbourne pro-Palestine rally
Thousands gathered in Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday for one of Australia’s largest pro-Palestine rallies this year — but the focus quickly shifted to controversial independent Senator Lidia Thorpe, whose speech ended with a threat that stunned the crowd and reignited political debate nationwide.
A rally defying the ceasefire
Despite the ceasefire agreement announced earlier in the week between Israel and Hamas — brokered by US President Donald Trump on October 8 — the “Free Palestine Melbourne” group continued its weekly demonstrations. Protesters assembled on the steps of the State Library before marching through the city, joined by supporters in Bendigo, Geelong, Traralgon, Warrnambool and other towns across Victoria.
Thousands waved Palestinian flags and chanted for “freedom from the river to the sea,” calling for justice and self-determination for the Palestinian people. But it was Senator Thorpe’s speech that captured the nation’s attention — and criticism.
“I am not there to make friends”
Addressing the crowd, Senator Thorpe drew parallels between the Palestinian struggle and that of Indigenous Australians, denouncing colonialism and Western hypocrisy.
“So we stand with you every day, and we will fight every day,” she declared passionately. “And if I have to burn down Parliament House to make a point … I am not there to make friends. I am there to get justice for our people and to free Palestine from the river to the sea.”
Her remarks were met with loud cheers from the audience but have since sparked outrage among political leaders and commentators, with calls for an investigation into her comments.
Attacks on Trump and the ceasefire deal
Thorpe also dismissed the ceasefire deal announced by President Trump, questioning both its integrity and his motives.
“How can we trust Trump and these racist Nazis that continue to violate our lives, our babies, our women, our families, our land?” she said, prompting another wave of applause.
“There will be no justice unless Palestine determines its own destiny.”
Veteran activist joins in solidarity
Longtime Aboriginal activist Gary Foley, struggling with lung complications, briefly addressed the crowd, expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and echoing Thorpe’s criticism of US policy.
“Don’t be fooled by fake Trump bullsh*t,” Foley told the crowd. “The fight goes on, the struggle goes on.”
The rally concluded with a march through central Melbourne, heading down St Kilda Road toward the US Consulate — a symbolic destination underscoring protesters’ anger at American involvement in the Middle East conflict.
While the demonstration remained mostly peaceful, Thorpe’s incendiary language has drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum. Critics argue her words undermine legitimate protest movements, while supporters insist her frustration reflects the deep anger felt by marginalised communities.
As the dust settles, the fallout from her remarks is likely to continue in Parliament — a chamber she has now threatened, figuratively or not, to “burn down.”
