Pauline Hanson sparks controversy by calling George Floyd 'a criminal and dangerous thug' as she rails against Black Lives Matter protests in Parliament

  • The One Nation leader called George Floyd a 'criminal and a dangerous thug'
  • Mr Floyd's death sparked a global movement against racism and police brutality 
  • She condemned Black Lives Matter protests held around Australia last weekend
  • Hanson said it 'sickened' her to see Australians holding 'black lives matter' signs 

By Alana Mazzoni For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Pauline Hanson has called George Floyd a 'criminal and a dangerous thug' while condemning the protests his death in police custody had sparked in Australia over the weekend.

The One Nation Leader addressed the Senate on Wednesday to denounce the Black Lives Matter protests, and the celebration of Mr Floyd, who died in Minneapolis last month after a police officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes.

'George Floyd had been made out to be a martyr,' Sen. Hanson said. 'This man has been in and out of prison numerous times. He was a criminal and a dangerous thug.'

Mr Floyd's death sparked protests against racism and police brutality across many parts of the world, including Australia where 60,000 people joined demonstrations across Australian cities last weekend. 


The One Nation Leader addressed the senate on Wednesday to call George Floyd a 'criminal and a dangerous thug' who has been turned into a 'martyr'

The One Nation Leader addressed the senate on Wednesday to call George Floyd a 'criminal and a dangerous thug' who has been turned into a 'martyr' 

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was filmed gasping for breath as a white officer kneeled on his neck for eight minutes before he died in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department last month
Officer Derek Chauvin (pictured) was identified as the officer pinning down George Floyd

Officer Derek Chauvin (pictured) was identified as the officer pinning down George Floyd in video footage 

'It sickened me to see people holding up signs saying 'black lives matter' in memory of this American criminal,' Hanson said. 

'I'm sorry, but all lives matter... we cannot allow bleeding hearts and those on the left to destroy the fabric of our society and our freedom.

'No one could possibly condone the way in which George Floyd died. But what upsets me is the attitude of many people - black and white.' 

Hanson expressed her anger that Australians didn't show the same outrage at the death of Justine Damond - a white Australian woman who was shot dead by a black officer, also in Minneapolis, in 2017.

'There was no protest, no one really cared because she was white,' Hanson said.  

Sen. Hanson said politicians should 'hang their heads in shame' for not speaking up about the health risks of the protests, which defied ongoing warnings for people not to gather in large groups due to the risk of spreading coronavirus.   

'It's a grave insult to all law-abiding Australians. These activists should never have been allowed to march and call Australians racist,' she said. 

'Shame on the politicians who were too gutless and too scared of losing votes to stand up to the mob.

'People are furious and I don't blame them. They want to know how this happened when our pubs, clubs and gyms and businesses are still crippled by the full force of COVID-19 restrictions.'   

Sen. Hanson's statement prompted backlash from some commenters on her Facebook page.

Mr Floyd's death sparked a global movement against racism and police brutality, with protests fanning out to Australia where 60,000 demonstrators rallied against indigenous deaths in custody. Pictured: A protest in Sydney last week

Mr Floyd's death sparked a global movement against racism and police brutality, with protests fanning out to Australia where 60,000 demonstrators rallied against indigenous deaths in custody. Pictured: A protest in Sydney last week 

'The more you open your mouth the more you reinforce your racist tag. Give us a rest for heavens sake,' commenter Ken Johnson said.

'Don't speak for me when you say all Australians,' Steven Olive added.  

'Nobody protested when Justine Damond was killed because her killer was immediately arrested, charged, & convicted,' Mike King wrote.  

The Australian protests linked the death of Mr Floyd to indigenous deaths in custody.

At least 432 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in police custody in Australia since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report in 1991. 

20,000 people flooded the streets of Sydney on Saturday (above) , 30,000 in Brisbane and 10,000 in Melbourne as part of Black Lives Matter rallies, despite COVID-19 restrictions remaining in place

20,000 people flooded the streets of Sydney on Saturday (above) , 30,000 in Brisbane and 10,000 in Melbourne as part of Black Lives Matter rallies, despite COVID-19 restrictions remaining in place

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