Dan Andrews, premier of the Victorian state in Australia, told hateful protestors to “get to Florida” after a drag event was canceled due to repeated threats.
Speaking in front of the Victorian parliament on May 4, Andrews condemned the shameful conduct of right-wing protestors who threatened a drag story time event at a public library in Melbourne.
Monash Council said the Oakleigh library event would no longer go ahead amid threats of violence against the performer, library staff, councilors, and families of attendees.
Andrews slammed the anti-LGBTQ+ protests and threats as appalling, saying that Australians “won’t stand for that ugly behavior here”.
Florida has been a hotbed amid a growing pushback against LGBTQ+ rights in the US, with lawmakers in the state championing legislation attacking family-friendly drag performances, LGBTQ+ education in schools, and gender-affirming healthcare for trans people.
Andrews said similar moves to attack LGBTQ+ people in Australia are not about free speech but are hate speech, plain and simple.
Andrews added on Twitter that the “Americanisation of Australian politics has no place in here and that the anti-LGBTQ+ protestors’ hateful views don’t either.”
