Senator Lidia Thorpe threatens to ‘burn down’ parliament for the pro-Palestine cause despite Gaza peace deal

Senator Lidia Thorpe has threatened to “burn down” Parliament for the pro-Palestine cause in a speech at one of several nationwide rallies on Sunday, despite a tentative peace deal in Gaza.

Thousands took part in the protests — including in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and a string of regional centres — days after a ceasefire between Israel and terrorist group Hamas.

One of several speakers at the Melbourne protest, Senator Thorpe claimed she’d turn to the radical measure to “make a point”, adding she’s “not there to make friends”.

“So we stand with you every day, and we will fight every day, and we will turn up every day and if I have to burn down Parliament House to make a point… I am not there to make friends,” the independent Senator said.

Senate Opposition leader Michaelia Cash labelled Senator Thorpe’s comments “disgraceful” and declared the Opposition would consider steps to hold her accountable in parliament.

“Lidia Thorpe’s comments are disgraceful and shocking but unfortunately unsurprising,” she said.

“Australians deserve much better from their elected representatives but she has a long history of appalling conduct.

“The Opposition will consider options available within the Senate to hold Senator Thorpe accountable and ensure the safety of all those who work in our parliament.”

Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson described the comments as “reprehensible” and also questioned why protests continued amid a peace deal.

“Senator Thorpe must face the full consequences of her conduct,” she posted to X.

“President Trump’s historic peace plan has delivered real hope and stability to the region. Yet, in our country, the pro-Palestinian protests continue. Peace matters not.”

Demonstrators at the protests, which marked two years after Israel began a military offensive in Gaza, had claimed they were cautious of the Donald Trump-brokered peace deal.

Organisers continued to call for the Australian Government to break diplomatic ties with the State of Israel and for sanctions against it for more than 67,000 Palestinian lives lost in the last two years.

Protesters also called for a “two-way arms embargo” claiming Australia was providing weapon parts to Israeli forces — a claim which had repeatedly been redefined by the Albanese government.

In Sydney, demonstrators marched through the city to the US consulate near Albert Park after they were banned from rallying outside the Opera House.

NSW Police had launched a legal challenge against organisers this week due to similar crowd-crush concerns raised at the Sydney Harbour Bridge march attended by around 90,000 people on August 3.

Organisers had initially estimated a crowd of 40,000 but numbers had been revised down to just under 10,000 on Sunday afternoon.

While pro-Palestine protesters were diverted from the Opera House, an organised flotilla against antisemitism — which included boats were draped in the Australian and Israeli flags — sailed past the iconic venue.

Another Israeli counter protest was held on the steps of State Library in Sydney, with attendees waving flags and holding signs calling for the release of hostages.

It came as Sydney’s Jewish community gathered at Sydney’s Opera House on Sunday evening a for a vigil to remember the 1200 Israelis killed on October 7th, two years ago.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who attended a separate vigil in Eastern Sydney, criticised organisers of the pro-Palestine rallies and said “hatred” had been allowed “to take root” in Australia since the Hamas terrorist attack.

“To our great shame there are people today in this country seeking to hold protests this week,” she said. “Today we must stand together, united as Australians, to say that hate has no place in our country. “October 7 was a day of horror. But today is also a day of hope. The United States-brokered peace plan offers hope — the beginning of hostages returning home and the first steps toward lasting peace.”

Protesters in Melbourne also marched to the city’s US consulate, where police were forced to barricade the entrance to the building along St Kilda Road.

A large police presence flanked more than a thousand people who gathered in Brisbane’s Queens Gardens to march through the CBD on Sunday for what was considered a peaceful protest.

Friends of Palestine WA had confirmed rallies would go ahead amid doubts on the longevity of the ceasefire agreement.

“We long for an end to Israel’s bombardment and welcome any reprieve. But we do not trust Israel, and we do not trust Donald Trump,” spokesman Nick Everett said.

Rallies were also held in Albany in WA’s south and Broome in the State’s Kimberley region. Crowds also turned out to protests in Hobart, Darwin, and Adelaide.

The US President is expected to travel to Egypt’s city Sharm El-Sheikh for a summit on Monday, alongside more then 20 other world leaders, to finalise the agreement aimed at ending the war.

French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are expected to be among Western leaders attending.

It comes as Anthony Albanese is on annual leave for a week ahead of his scheduled meeting with Mr Trump in Washington.

In an interview on Weekend Sunrise on Saturday, the PM described the situation in the Middle-East as “fragile” and expressed hope the ceasefire would hold.

He also credited the US President’s breakthrough and reiterated Australia’s long-held stance for a two-State solution in the region.

“What it has needed, and we’ve said this for some time, is of course US leadership. President Trump has provided that. And that’s provided the breakthrough,” Mr Albanese said.

“I think his comments where he said to Prime Minister Netanyahu, ‘you can’t fight the world, Bibi’.

“People were saying throughout the world, countries including Australia, enough is enough. The cycle of violence has to end. And hopefully that is what we are seeing in the interests of both Israelis, Palestinians, but also in the interests of the world.”