Indigenous Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe intensifies criticism of King Charles III

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Indigenous senator has intensified her criticism of King Charles III, again accusing the British monarch of complicity in the “genocide” against Australia’s First Peoples and declaring she will not be “shut down.” Sen. Lidia Thorpe’s comments followed an encounter at a parliamentary reception where she was escorted out after shouting at Charles for British colonizers taking Indigenous land and bones. She said in a media interview she would continue to press for justice. Thorpe particularly highlighted the status of the remains of Indigenous ancestors. She said, “You are in receipt of stolen goods, which makes you complicit in theft.” Charles concluded his visit to Australia and traveled Wednesday to Samoa for a Commonwealth meeting.