Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe from Australia has been censured by the Senate for heckling British King Charles III during his visit to parliament last month. Thorpe, a Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab-Wurrung woman, released a statement before the vote expressing no regrets and standing by her actions.
Although Australia has been independent from the UK since 1901, it remains a Commonwealth realm with King Charles as its head of state. Thorpe’s protest during the king’s visit called for recognition of historical crimes committed against Indigenous peoples, demanding the return of stolen land and accountability for past atrocities.
The Senate censure, while symbolic, does not carry legal weight and does not affect Thorpe’s position as a senator. Thorpe’s defiant attitude in the face of the censure is seen as a stance against colonial injustices and a call for recognition of the ongoing impacts of colonization on Indigenous communities in Australia.
Thorpe’s protest, which was widely shared and considered both controversial and powerful, has sparked discussions about the legacy of colonization, Indigenous rights, and the role of the British monarchy in Australia.
In a gesture mirroring a recent protest in New Zealand, Thorpe ripped up the censure paper, symbolizing her rejection of the Senate’s disapproval. The incident has brought attention to the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights and reconciliation in Australia, shedding light on the need for acknowledgment of historical injustices and a commitment to address the lasting impacts of colonization.
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