King Charles was confronted by an Australian senator after delivering a speech in the country’s parliament.
Senator Lidia Thorpe, Victoria’s first Indigenous senator, shouted, “This is not your land. You are not our King,” as Charles spoke with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Thorpe marched across the lobby, telling the King, “You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us.”
She continued, “Our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our lives. We need a treaty, a treaty in this country. You are a genocidalist.”
As security escorted her out of the chamber, she was heard saying, “F*** the colony.”
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a strong royal supporter, expressed disappointment in the protest, calling it “unfortunate political exhibitionism.”
Thorpe, who had refused to swear an oath to the Queen when elected, was among around 20 protesters who demonstrated during the King’s visit to Australia, including during his wreath-laying at a war memorial in Canberra earlier in the day.
Thorpe, alongside other Indigenous voices, opposed the King’s visit, calling it a “farewell tour” led by Australian Republicans.
Upon their arrival, Charles and Camilla were greeted by Aunty Serena Williams from the Ngunnawal people, who called for an apology from the King for colonial wrongdoings.
She said, “We all have roles and responsibilities, and I have roles and responsibilities to my people. And I think an apology would be beautiful.”
When asked if the King should personally apologize, she responded, “Yes. Because we have to acknowledge our past.”
During his speech in parliament, Charles acknowledged these remarks, stating he “offered to pay my respects to the traditional owners of the land on which we meet,” but did not offer a formal apology.
Thorpe, elected in 2017, sits as an independent in the upper house of the Australian parliament. She made headlines when she initially refused to swear allegiance to the Queen, later describing the late Queen Elizabeth II as a “colonizer.” She was eventually compelled to repeat the oath in 2022.
Ahead of the King’s visit, Thorpe issued a statement: “As First Peoples, we never ceded our Sovereignty over this land. The Crown invaded this country, has not sought treaty with First Peoples, and committed a Genocide of our people. King Charles is not the legitimate Sovereign of these lands.”
She added, “Any move towards a republic must not continue this injustice. Treaty must play a central role in establishing an independent nation. A republic without a Treaty must not happen.”
The visit to Parliament House marked the fourth day of the King and Queen’s tour, which has seen a number of Australian officials skip meetings with the royals.
The visit has been marked by low-level protests, including a banner reading “decolonize” at an event in Sydney.
Prime Minister Albanese has long pushed for a referendum on ending ties with the British monarchy and establishing Australia as a republic. However, the plans were delayed after Australians overwhelmingly rejected a proposal in a referendum last year to grant greater political rights to Indigenous people.
