Mon Nov 18 04:00:35 UTC 2024: ## Australian Senator Censured for Heckling King Charles
**Canberra, Australia – November 18, 2024** – The Australian Senate today censured Senator Lidia Thorpe, an Indigenous activist, for heckling King Charles III during his parliamentary visit last month. Thorpe interrupted the King’s speech, accusing him of representing a regime guilty of genocide against Indigenous Australians.
Both the ruling Labor party and the opposition coalition supported the censure motion, a symbolic measure expressing disapproval of Thorpe’s conduct. While carrying no legal weight, the motion stated that Thorpe’s actions were disruptive and disrespectful to democratic institutions.
Thorpe, a DjabWurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman, defended her actions, calling the censure a distraction from pressing issues facing Indigenous Australians. She vowed to repeat her protest, declaring her loyalty to her people and justice over the crown. She further accused those who supported the motion of hypocrisy.
This is not Thorpe’s first protest against the British monarchy. In 2022, she was required to retake her parliamentary oath after altering it to label Queen Elizabeth II a colonizer.
The censure comes amidst Australia’s ongoing struggle to reconcile with its Indigenous population, who face significant socio-economic disadvantage despite being the continent’s first inhabitants. Their history and rights remain largely unaddressed in the country’s constitution.
In a separate action, the Senate also censured United Australia Party senator Ralph Babet for offensive social media posts.
First Piper 