During a recent royal event in Canberra, Australian senator Lidia Thorpe made headlines when she heckled King Charles, shouting, “You are not my king” and “This is not your land.” This moment has sparked a significant debate, with Indigenous leaders weighing in on her actions and the subsequent controversy surrounding a violent image related to the king that she briefly posted on social media.
While some activists have hailed Thorpe’s protest as brave, others within the Aboriginal community have criticized it as “embarrassing” and lacking respect. In her defense, Thorpe stood by her comments made during the event but acknowledged that a cartoon depicting the King beheaded—posted to her Instagram account—was inappropriate. She stated that the drawing was shared by a staff member without her knowledge, and upon discovering it, she quickly deleted it. “I would not intentionally share anything that could be seen to encourage violence against anyone,” she emphasized.
The image has drawn considerable condemnation and has intensified scrutiny of Thorpe’s actions during the royal visit. Aunty Violet Sheridan, an Aboriginal elder who welcomed the King and Queen Camilla to Ngunnawal country, expressed her disapproval to the Guardian Australia, 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.”
Similarly, Nova Peris, a former senator and the first Aboriginal woman in the Australian parliament, criticized Thorpe’s behavior as “embarrassing and disappointing.” She added, “Australia is moving forward in its journey of reconciliation… as hard as that journey is, it requires respectful dialogue, mutual understanding, and a shared commitment to healing—not divisive actions that draw attention away from the progress we are making as a country.”
Nevertheless, some prominent Indigenous activists have praised Thorpe’s stand. Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts, a Bundjalung lawyer and author, argued that inviting the monarchy to Australia, given its historical implications, is “nothing more harmful or disrespectful.” She asserted, “When Thorpe speaks, she’s got the ancestors right with her.”
