An Australian senator has sparked controversy after sharing photos of herself online making a rude gesture outside King Charles’s official residence. Lidia Thorpe was pictured outside the gates of Buckingham Palace making a rude gesture with her middle finger, and also holding an Aboriginal flag.
During the King’s visit to Australia last year, she made global headlines after yelling “You are not my king” in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra. This week, it was reported she was in the UK to attend a conference.
She shared the three images on social media with the caption: “Dropped by to collect all the stuff this lot stole, but Charlie wasn’t in.”
The post, which was uploaded to Instagram, received criticism from social media users. One wrote: “Do you know you don’t speak for Australia. We actually can’t stand you, I personally look forward to your term ending in the Senate!”
Another said: “Are also going to claim this trip as a work related expense from the colonial government that pays your salary? Typical ongoing hypocrisy!”
Another wrote: “Getting your point across is one thing but being disrespectful and rude is another…”
The Indigenous MP sparked international outrage after screaming out “f**k the colony” in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra shortly after the King had given a speech praising Australia.
She said at the time to the King: “You are not our king. You are not sovereign. 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. You destroyed our land. Give us a Treaty. We want a Treaty in this country. You are a genocidalist. This is not your land. This is not your land. You are not my king. You are not our king…”
She was evicted by security guards who had been watching her throughout the proceedings, continuing to yell as she was removed from the room.
The King and Queen Camilla were visiting Australia’s Parliament House as part of a five-day visit to the country when Thorpe got as close as she could to the stage where they were sat alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other officials.
Most people remained silent during the outburst, while the King spoke to Albanese and the Queen to his partner, Jodie Haydon.
Thorpe is an Aboriginal Australian independent politician, representing Victoria as a Senator since 2020 – the first Aboriginal Senator from the state.
Up until February 2023, she was a member of the Australian Greens, serving as the party’s Deputy Leader in the Senate from June to October 2022.