'Give Us Our Land Back': Australia Senator Confronts King Charles in Parliament

"You are not my King," are the words of Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe as King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive at the Australian Parliament. The senator wasted no time in launching a bold protest against the monarchy, accusing them of genocide. As the royal couple made their entrance, Thorpe, an independent senator known for her vocal support of Indigenous rights, interrupted the event and kept on shouting, "You are not my King."

Thorpe went on to criticise the British monarchy's historical role in colonising Australia and oppressing Indigenous peoples. She said, "You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back, give us back what you stole from us. Our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people."

The senator continued her protest as security personnel tried to remove her from the chamber. Even while being escorted away, she yelled, “This is not your land, you are not my King, you are not our King,”.

No Reaction from King Charles and Queen Camilla 

Despite the disruption, King Charles and Queen Camilla did not publicly react. They remained focused on the proceedings and the music being performed by an orchestra. This public outburst has drawn attention to Australia's ongoing debate over its ties to the British monarchy, particularly in the context of Indigenous rights and historical injustices.

When Thrope Called Queen Elizabeth ‘Coloniser’

Thorpe's confrontation comes just over a year after her previous criticism of the monarchy, when she referred to Queen Elizabeth II as a "coloniser" during her parliamentary swearing-in. Thorpe had recently left the Green Party to sit as an independent senator, citing a lack of strong support for Indigenous issues within the party.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are on an official tour of Australia, engaging in various ceremonial and cultural activities, but Thorpe's protest has become a key moment of the visit.