Australian senator Lidia Thorpe’s heckling of King Charles during a royal event has sparked heated debate, with Indigenous leaders and politicians offering mixed reactions. Thorpe, an Aboriginal woman, made headlines on Monday when she shouted “you are not my king” and “this is not your land” at the monarch during his visit to Canberra. Thorpe was quickly escorted away from the event, but her actions have continued to divide opinion.
While some activists hailed Thorpe’s protest as brave, others criticized her behavior. Prominent Aboriginal figures, including former senator Nova Peris, called it “embarrassing and disappointing,” arguing that Thorpe’s outburst detracts from the progress being made in Australia’s journey towards reconciliation. Peris stressed the need for “respectful dialogue, mutual understanding, and a shared commitment to healing” rather than divisive actions.
However, other Indigenous voices supported Thorpe’s defiance. Bundjalung lawyer and activist Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts remarked that inviting the monarchy to Australia was more harmful than Thorpe’s protest. She said, “When Thorpe speaks, she’s got the ancestors right with her.”
The controversy escalated after a violent image was briefly posted to Thorpe’s Instagram account. The cartoon depicted King Charles beheaded alongside his crown. Thorpe quickly deleted the post, explaining that a staff member had shared it without her knowledge. “I would not intentionally share anything that could be seen to encourage violence against anyone,” she said in a statement.
Aboriginal elder Aunty Violet Sheridan, who formally welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla to Ngunnawal country, expressed her disapproval of Thorpe’s protest, saying, “Lidia Thorpe does not speak for me and my people, and I’m sure she doesn’t speak for a lot of First Nations people.”
Thorpe defended her actions, stating that her repeated requests for a respectful conversation with King Charles had been ignored. She emphasized the importance of truth-telling and demanded an apology from the King for the historical atrocities committed by the British monarchy against Indigenous Australians.
Politicians, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, have also weighed in on the issue. Albanese criticized Thorpe’s behavior, stating that it fell short of the standards expected of parliamentarians. Opposition leader Peter Dutton went further, calling for Thorpe’s resignation. In response, Thorpe stated she had no intention of resigning, saying, “I’ll be here for the next three years, so get used to truth-telling.”
As the debate continues, Thorpe’s actions have ignited a larger conversation about reconciliation, the role of the monarchy, and the importance of addressing historical injustices in Australia.