- Australian Senator censured for protesting King Charles
- Thorpe shouted, “You are not my King” and “This is not your land”
- The censure motion, passed 46-12
- Thorpe denied the chance to defend herself due to a delayed flight
Australian Senator censured for protesting King Charles
The Australian Senate has formally censured Aboriginal Senator Lidia Thorpe for heckling King Charles during his visit to Canberra last month. Thorpe shouted, “You are not my King” and “This is not your land” after the King addressed the Great Hall of Parliament, aiming to spotlight the effects of British colonisation on Indigenous Australians.
The censure motion, passed 46-12, described Thorpe’s protest as “disrespectful and disruptive,” deeming it incompatible with her role in representing the Senate on official delegations. While largely symbolic, such motions express political disapproval but carry no legal consequences.
Thorpe criticised the move, saying she was denied the chance to defend herself due to a delayed flight. Speaking to reporters, she reiterated her stance: “The British Crown committed heinous crimes against the first peoples of this country… I will not be silent.”
Her actions sparked a divided response. While many political figures and some Indigenous leaders condemned the protest, activists praised it for drawing attention to the ongoing disadvantages faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, including disparities in health, wealth, and education.
King Charles, meanwhile, was warmly received by Australian crowds during his five-day tour with Queen Camilla, despite the controversy.