Unexpected protest against King Charles in the Australian Parliament: 'You are not our King'

During a speech in the Australian Parliament, King Charles faced an unexpected protest. Aboriginal Senator Lidia Thorpe disrupted the hall by shouting, "You are not our king" and "You destroyed our land" after the King's speech.

During the incident, security personnel quickly intervened and removed Thorpe from the hall. King Charles, however, calmly ignored the situation and continued to smile.

Senator Thorpe later continued her protest with a cartoon she shared on social media. The cartoon depicted a decapitated Charles with the caption, "You are not our sovereign."

Senior Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Violet Sheridan, who witnessed the incident, described Thorpe's behavior as "disrespectful and rude." Sheridan stated, "She does not speak on behalf of me or my family. This is not the way to resolve our differences."

Former Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz also deemed Thorpe's behavior "shameful" and added, "In a free society, people are free to behave badly as long as it is not illegal, but this behavior is unacceptable."

This incident reignited discussions about the monarchy in Australia. As tensions continue between republic supporters and monarchy supporters in the country, King Charles's visit has become the focal point of these debates.

The Australian government formally apologized to King Charles after the incident, stating that the majority of the country does not condone such behavior. However, the incident highlighted that discussions about Australia's colonial past and the rights of Indigenous peoples are still very much alive.