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Australian senator accuses Britain’s king of ‘genocide’ against indigenous peoples

Britain’s King Charles was berated by an indigenous senator on Monday, who told him ‘you committed genocide against our people’

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Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe is escorted out of Parliament House in Canberra on Monday as she stages a protest against Britain’s King Charles. Photo: Reuters
An indigenous senator told Britain’s King Charles that Australia is not his land and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the monarch is not needed as the country’s head of state as the British royal visited Australia’s parliament on Monday.
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Indigenous independent Senator Lidia Thorpe was escorted out of a parliamentary reception for the royal couple after shouting that British colonisers have taken indigenous land and bones.

“You committed genocide against our people,” she shouted. “Give us what you stole from us – our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty.”

The king spoke quietly with Prime Minister Albanese while security officials stopped Senator Thorpe from approaching.

“This is not your land. You are not my king,” Thorpe yelled as she was ushered from the hall.

Britain’s King Charles delivers a speech on Monday at Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra. Photo: EPA-EFE
Britain’s King Charles delivers a speech on Monday at Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra. Photo: EPA-EFE

Albanese, who wants the country to become a republic with an Australian head of state, also told the king it was time for his role to end.

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