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Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe defends comments to King as ‘global truth telling’

1 month ago
Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe defends comments to King as 'global truth telling'

The Australian senator who shouted at the King has defended her actions, insisting he is “not our sovereign”.

Senator Lidia Thorpe yelled at the King after he spoke to Australia‘s parliament on Monday.

She shouted: “Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us! Our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty!

“You are not our King, you are not sovereign… you have committed genocide against our people.”

Security stopped her getting close to the monarch and ushered her out the chamber in Canberra.

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‘You are not my King’

Ms Thorpe told Breakfast with Kay Burley she stood by her actions.

“We are the real sovereigns in this country,” she said. “The King lives in your country, he’s from your country. He can’t be our King.”

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The senator added: “We have our bones and our skulls still in his family’s possession. We want that back. We want our land back.

“And we want your King to take some leadership and sit at the table and discuss a treaty with us.”

Asked why she called him “genocidal”, Ms Thorpe claimed “there are thousands of massacre sites in this country from invasion and someone needs to answer for that. He is the successor, then he needs to answer”.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are greeted by Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Serena Williams. Pic: Saeed Khan/Pool Photo via AP
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The royal couple were welcomed in Canberra by Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Serena Williams. Pic: AP

She said “wasn’t fussed” if some people think she abused her power, as she has “the support of Aboriginal people around this country”.

Ms Thorpe said her outburst was for “global truth telling about the royals who caused so much devastation – to not only your people in this country but indigenous people around the world”.

This is a new royal order

This level of protest and disruption wouldn’t have happened with the late Queen.

These moments are both confronting and uncomfortable. But there’s little the King can do.

This is a new royal order. The King is now a target for protest and demonstration, especially in Australia during a high-profile trip, with long-planned engagements.

Campaigners wanted to highlight how the colonial past is still raw.

A similar theme will follow him to Samoa, where the Commonwealth heads of government are meeting. It will be his first time attending as head of the organisation.

Already, Caribbean countries are drawing up plans to put pressure on the King to apologise for the Royal Family’s historic links to the transatlantic slave trade.

He hasn’t avoided the topic at previous meetings, but has stopped short of saying sorry.

They will want to use the opportunity, with world leaders gathered, to make their point.

And directing it at the King is an easy way to attract attention, make headlines and create new conversations.

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The senator was also one of about 20 people protesting as the royals laid a wreath at a Canberra war memorial earlier on Monday.

She also refused to take an oath of allegiance to the late Queen when she became a politician.

King Charles and Queen Camilla lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Pic: Brook Mitchell/Pool Photo via AP
Image:
The royals at the Australian War Memorial. Pic: AP

King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a tour of the Australian National Botanic Gardens, in Canberra, on day two of the royal visit to Australia and Samoa. Picture date: Monday October 21, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story ROYAL Tour. Photo credit should read: Chris Jackson/PA Wire
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The King and Queen visited the National Botanic Gardens in Canberra on Monday. Pic: PA

The King and Queen are in the Australian capital as their tour of the country continues.

The couple are in Sydney on Tuesday before later flying to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.