'You are not our king...': Australian Senator interrupts King Charles' speech with anti-colonial protest, escorted out

An independent Australian senator, Lidia Thorpe, made headlines on Monday when she interrupted King Charles's reception at Parliament during his visit to Australia, loudly protesting against the monarchy. As the King was addressing MPs and senators in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra, Thorpe stood up and shouted anti-colonial slogans, saying, "You are not my king. You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us - our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people." The remarks quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread attention.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are currently in Australia for a five-day visit, marking the King’s first visit to the country as monarch and the first since his cancer diagnosis earlier this year. The reception took place after the King’s speech when Thorpe, an Indigenous senator from Victoria and a guest at the event, walked up the aisle and continued to shout at the monarch, saying, "This is not your land. You are not my king." Dressed in a fur cloak, she demanded a treaty for Indigenous people and called King Charles a "genocidalist." Security quickly intervened and escorted her out of the hall, while she continued to shout, "You are not our king. F*** the colony."

Reposting this video cause it was suddenly deleted. Senator Lidia Thorpe shouting at King Charles in Parliament House, “You are not our King! This is not your land!”. She is very much representing the strong feeling of indigenous Australians. #NotMyKingpic.twitter.com/8kR5SkdgB3

— Zandi Sussex (@ZandiSussex) October 21, 2024

During the commotion, King Charles was seen pulling Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese aside for a discussion on the podium. The incident highlighted the tension around Australia’s history as a former British colony. The country was colonized by Britain for over 100 years, resulting in the deaths and displacement of thousands of Aboriginal Australians. While Australia gained de facto independence in 1901, it remains a constitutional monarchy with King Charles as the head of state.

Thorpe's actions sparked mixed reactions. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott called it "unfortunate political exhibitionism," while businessman Dick Smith, who was present at the event, said it demonstrated the strength of Australia's democracy, noting that she wouldn’t face jail for her actions.

This is not the first time Thorpe has spoken out against the monarchy. In 2022, she made news by raising her fist and using the term "colonising" when swearing allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II. Her stance is consistent with her strong advocacy for Indigenous rights.

Last year, Australians overwhelmingly rejected a referendum to recognize Indigenous Australians in the constitution and establish a separate assembly for the community. In 1999, a majority of Australians also voted against becoming a republic, opting to retain the monarchy as the country’s head of state.

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