Australian federal senator Lidia Thorpe was removed from the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday, February 25, after lying on the ground in front of a float, temporarily halting the parade, local reports citing police said.

Video recorded by Alexander Day shows the Indigenous senator lying on her back, as two police officers approach her on Flinders Street. The crowd boos as Thorpe gets to her feet to confront the officers, who then move her away from the parade.

In a statement, a spokesperson from the New South Wales Police told the Australian Associated Press that the politician was “removed from the parade at the request of organisers for breaching the terms of her participation.”

Thorpe tweeted that she had joined the Pride in Protest float to protest against police violence.

“Black and brown trans women started the first pride march as a protest against police violence. Today, we still face violence from police. Proud to have joined the #PrideInProtest float in Sydney”, she said. Credit: @AlexDay96 via Storyful

Video transcript

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