CANBERRA, Australia — An Indigenous senator has doubled down on her criticism of King Charles III, again accusing the British monarch of being complicit in the “genocide” against Australia’s First Nations peoples. On Wednesday, she declared that she will not be silenced.
Sen. Lidia Thorpe’s comments follow a confrontation with the monarch at a parliamentary reception on Monday, where she was escorted out after shouting at him about British colonizers taking Indigenous land and bones.
Despite facing political and public backlash, Thorpe remains steadfast. In a television interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, she stated that she will continue to fight for justice.
“The colonial system is all about silencing Black women in this country,” Thorpe said from Melbourne. “For those that don’t agree with what I have said and what I have done, I can tell you now there are elders, there are grassroots Aboriginal people across this country and Torres Strait Islander people who are just so proud.”
“I have decided to be a Black sovereign woman and continue our fight against the colony and for justice for our people,” she added.
Thorpe specifically addressed the ongoing harm to Australia’s First Nations peoples, including the continued possession of Indigenous ancestral remains.
“I’m sorry, Charlie, but you can’t come here and think you can say a few nice words about our people while you still have stolen goods. You are in receipt of stolen goods, which makes you complicit in theft,” she said.
Thorpe also stressed the ongoing social disadvantages that Indigenous Australians continue to face, emphasizing that these issues are being glossed over by empty gestures that do not address the systemic problems.
At the parliamentary reception, Charles spoke quietly with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese while security officials prevented Thorpe from approaching and ushered her from the hall.
Charles concluded his visit to Australia and traveled to Samoa on Wednesday, where he will open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.