An Australian politician told anti-LGBTQ+ protesters to move to Florida if they want to spread their 'hateful views'

• An Australian politician said that anti-LGBTQ+ protesters should take their hate speech to Florida.
• "Head over there, where your hateful views might be worth something," Daniel Andrews said.

An Australian politician told anti-LGBTQ+ protesters to "get to Florida" after they forced the shutdown of a drag queen story-time event that was slated to happen later this month.

Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews called "ugly scenes" by the protesters "shameful" and a "disgrace" after death threats were made against other council members and the drag performer set to host the sold-out event at a local library on May 19.

"And my message to those people is very clear: If you want to behave like the worst elements of the Floridian Republican Party — well, get to Florida," Andrews said during an impassioned speech Thursday on the state's parliament floor.

"Head over there, where your hateful views might be worth something. They're worth nothing here," Andrews said. "We won't stand for this sort of behavior. It's appalling."

Andrews added, "It's not about free speech — this is hate speech plain and simple, plain and simple. It is wrong. It is out of step with the values of fair-minded and decent, mainstream Victorians. It is on the fringe."

A spokesman for Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declined to comment to Insider Monday about Andrews' remarks, saying, "party politics are outside the purview of the official office," and instead referred Insider to the Republican Party of Florida.

A rep for the Republican Party of Florida did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Insider.

The DeSantis administration has been targeting drag shows and the LGBTQ+ community through certain policies in the Sunshine State for months.