
During King Charles III’s recent visit to Australia, Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe publicly confronted him, accusing the British Crown of genocide against Indigenous Australians. Thorpe, an independent senator from Victoria, interrupted a speech at Parliament House in Canberra, declaring, “This is not your country, you are not my king,” and demanding the return of stolen land and a treaty with First Nations peoples. She also labeled the monarchy “genocidalist” for its colonial history.
The confrontation underscored long-standing calls from Indigenous Australians for a formal treaty and recognition of historical injustices. Although Charles remained composed, the incident highlighted growing debates about Australia’s ties to the British monarchy, with many calling for the country to become a republic and address its colonial past. Thorpe’s protest echoed the broader demands for Indigenous rights and sovereignty, which have been central to movements like the Uluru Statement from the Heart.