Australian Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe caused a stir in parliament on Monday when she loudly protested against King Charles during his speech. Thorpe, known for her vocal opposition to the monarchy, shouted anti-colonial slogans, demanding the return of Indigenous land.
“Give us our land back! Give us what you stole from us!” she yelled, accusing the monarchy of overseeing the “genocide” of Indigenous Australians by European settlers. Her outburst came shortly after the 75-year-old monarch delivered his address.
Thorpe, an independent lawmaker, declared, “This is not your land, you are not my king,” as she criticized Australia’s colonial history. For over 100 years, Australia was a British colony, during which time many Aboriginal Australians were killed, and their communities were displaced. Although Australia gained de facto independence in 1901, the country remains a constitutional monarchy with King Charles as its head of state.
This incident took place during King Charles’ nine-day tour of Australia and Samoa, his first major foreign trip since his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Thorpe’s History of Anti-Monarchy Protests
Lidia Thorpe has become known for her bold political gestures and her fierce opposition to the monarchy. When she was sworn into office in 2022, she raised her right fist in defiance while swearing allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II, then Australia’s head of state. She added her own words to the official oath, declaring, “I sovereign, Lidia Thorpe, do solemnly and sincerely swear that I will be faithful and I bear true allegiance to the colonising Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.” The Senate president promptly rebuked her for not following the printed oath.
Australia’s Ties to the Monarchy
Although Australia became independent from British rule in 1901, it has never fully transitioned to a republic. A 1999 referendum narrowly upheld the monarchy after a contentious debate about how a potential president would be chosen.
In 2023, Australians rejected a proposal to amend the constitution to recognize Indigenous Australians and establish an Indigenous consultative body. Thorpe’s protest highlights the ongoing debate about the country’s colonial past and its relationship with Indigenous communities.