Australian lawmaker tears up parliament motion over protest against British monarch

ISTANBUL

Australian independent Senator Lidia Thorpe tore up the copy of a parliament motion after the Senate voted to censure her over a protest she staged during King Charles' Australian visit.

“I don’t give a damn about censure motion,” Thorpe said in a video posted on X, while tearing up the text of the censure motion passed by the Australian senate on Monday. The motion was passed 46 votes to 12 to censure her over her actions during the visit of King Charles.

“I will resist colonization in this country. I swear my allegiance to the real sovereigns of these lands. First peoples are the real sovereigns,” she stated.

"If (the king) comes back in, I'll do it again," she said.

Clad in a fur cloak, Senator Lidia Thorpe had raised her voice to make Charles listen to her statement after the monarch delivered his speech in the Australian parliament last month.

Secret services were seen walking towards and pushing the lawmaker out of the room, who accused the British monarch of committing genocide against the indigenous peoples.

The outspoken lawmaker has long demanded a treaty between Australia and First Nations peoples that would mean formally recognizing their sovereignty.

“You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us — our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people,” Thorpe shouted, addressing the British monarch, who was accompanied by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The British began occupying parts of Australia in 1788 but made no agreements with First Nations peoples.