Indigenous Australian who confronted King Charles III says she will not be ‘shut down’

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Indigenous senator has intensified her criticism of… King Charles IIIThe Queen once again accused Britain of complicity in “genocide” against First Nations peoples in Australia and announced on Wednesday that she would not “shut down”.

Senator Lydia Thorpe’s comments came following a meeting With the King at a parliamentary reception On Monday, she was escorted outside after shouting at him demanding that British colonists seize the lands and bones of indigenous people.

Despite facing political and public backlash, Thorpe was resolute in a television interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and said she would continue to press for justice.

“The colonial system is about the exclusion of black women in this country,” Thorpe said from Melbourne. “For those who disagree with what I said and what I did, I can tell you now that there are elders, there is an Aboriginal grassroots base across this country and Torres Strait Islander people are very proud.”

She added: “I have decided to be a sovereign black woman and continue our struggle against the colony and for justice for our people.”

Thorpe particularly highlighted the ongoing harm done to First Nations people in Australia, including the preservation of the remains of their Aboriginal ancestors.

“I’m sorry, Charlie, but you can’t come here and think you can say a few nice words about our people while you still have stolen goods. You are receiving stolen goods, which makes you complicit in the theft,” she said.

Thorpe He also emphasized the endemic social disadvantage that Indigenous Australians continue to experience and which is glossed over by platitudes that fail to address systemic issues.