An Australian senator has interrupted King Charles III’s speech, accusing the monarch of genocide of indigenous people and calling for the return of land.
During King Charles III’s first official visit to Australia, independent Senator Lydia Thorpe, representing the interests of the indigenous population, abruptly cut short her speech in Parliament. The BBC reported it.
Approaching the stage, he accused the monarch of historic genocide against his people and called for the return of stolen lands.
“This is not your country. You committed genocide against our people. Give us back our land. Give back what you stole from us – our bones, our skulls, our children, our people. You the perpetrator of genocide. You are not the King. shouted the senator before being escorted out of the room by the security officers.
Lydia Thorpe explained that her aim was to send a clear message to the king: “To be sovereign, you must belong to this land. He is not of this land.”
He is a supporter of Australia becoming a republic and calls for an agreement between the government and Indigenous peoples that recognizes their rights to the land.
The event drew mixed reactions, with Indigenous elder Violet Sheridan, who congratulated the king earlier, calling Thorpe’s protest “disrespectful” while others supported his calls for change in relationship between Indigenous peoples and the state.
Watch the moment the UK’s King Charles was mocked by Aboriginal independent senator Lidia Thorpe as he wrapped up a speech in Australia, where he is head of state. pic.twitter.com/9ADxzlHOgy
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 21, 2024
It was previously reported that British King Charles III mentioned Ukraine in his speech at the opening of parliament.
Charles III agrees not to be king for Australia
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Source: korrespondent
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