Overview

• Federal police confirmed the National Security Investigations team in Victoria is assessing whether the comments breached legislation and issued a rare public statement to reassure the community.
• Senator Lidia Thorpe said the line was a metaphor for community pain and denied making a literal threat, reiterating her rejection of violence.
• Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and other senior ministers called the remarks unacceptable and urged Australians to lower the temperature to protect social cohesion.
• The Coalition signalled it may pursue Senate action, including a censure motion or a referral to the privileges committee when the chamber next sits.
• The remarks were delivered at a large pro‑Palestine march in Melbourne during a period of heightened attention tied to an expected Gaza ceasefire and hostage‑release deal.