On Monday, an independent Australian senator interrupted King Charles during his visit to Parliament, shouting anti-colonial slogans like "You are not my king." Lidia Thorpe, known for her strong opposition to the monarchy and advocacy for Indigenous rights, made her comments as King Charles and Queen Camilla were welcomed in Australia.
During the event, which took place in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra, Thorpe confronted the King directly, saying, "You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back." As security escorted her out, she continued to shout, "This is not your land. You are not my king."
The incident happened as King Charles was giving his speech, marking his first visit to Australia as monarch and his first since his cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Australia was a British colony for over 100 years, during which many Aboriginal Australians were killed or displaced. Although the country gained some independence in 1901, it is still a constitutional monarchy, with King Charles as the current head of state.
Before the outburst, Thorpe had turned her back during the Australian anthem performed for the royal couple. Her actions drew mixed reactions, with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott calling it "unfortunate political exhibitionism," while businessman Dick Smith praised her right to express herself.
This isn’t the first time Thorpe has made headlines for her remarks against the monarchy. In 2022, she raised her fist and called Queen Elizabeth II a "coloniser" during an allegiance ceremony. Last year, a referendum to recognize Indigenous Australians in the constitution was overwhelmingly rejected, and in 1999, more than half of Australians voted against removing the Queen as head of state.
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