Australian senator says Charles holds ‘stolen wealth’ after parliament protest

An Australian senator who protested against the King during his state visit to the country has accused the monarch of refusing to return its “stolen wealth”.

Lidia Thorpe, who campaigns on First Nations issues, disrupted Charles’s welcome to the capital Canberra with an outburst on Monday.

After Charles spoke to guests at Parliament House about his debt to the descendants of Australia’s first inhabitants, Ms Thorpe shouted: “You are not our King, you are not sovereign… you have committed genocide against our people.”

Her comments were criticised as “disrespectful” by Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese, who attended the event, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defended the King, describing him as an “incredible ambassador”.

Speaking in an interview with Australian broadcaster ABC on Wednesday, Ms Thorpe defended her actions and said she had been “overwhelmed with supporting messages”.

She said: “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… who are just so proud. They say that it’s lit a fire back in their belly, and they want to join the resistance.

“I don’t listen to the noise of those who have chosen to assimilate into the colonial system, that’s their decision.

“I’ve decided to be a black sovereign woman and continue our fight against the colony and for justice for our people.”

Asked if she acknowledged the King had an affinity for Australian indigenous culture due to his many visits over his lifetime, Ms Thorpe said Charles had been “smoothing the dying pillow” with his speech.

Addressing Charles directly, the senator said: “I’m sorry Charlie, but you can’t come here and think that 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.”

Asked to clarify what goods she meant, Ms Thorpe said: “We’re talking about the stolen wealth.

“We are the sickest and poorest people in our own country, and he has the audacity to sit up there like he’s the king or something, but he’s not the king of this country, he’s not sovereign to this country.”

Ms Thorpe became the first Indigenous woman to be elected to the Victorian state parliament in 2017.

The 51-year-old denied suggestions she had renounced her sworn parliamentary affirmation to the heirs of the late Queen Elizabeth II and said she would not be resigning from her role.

She continued: “This country wants to swear allegiance to a king from another country whose ancestors have been responsible for massacres, so many massacres in this country, killing our children and our women.

“Why would I, with my hand on my heart, kneel to an oppressor?”

Ms Thorpe said she had gained “international allies” from the incident and would keep them briefed on any other Australian politicians trying to censor her beliefs.

She signed off the interview by saying: “This is a revolution and there’s lots more to come.”

Charles and Camilla have moved on to the next stage of their royal tour in Samoa, after their six-day tour of Australia came to end on Tuesday.