Canberra: Indigenous Australian senator Lidia Thorpe caused a stir in parliament during King Charles’ visit by launching a fiery protest against the British monarchy. Yelling “Give us our land back! Give us what you stole from us!”, Thorpe’s outcry highlighted the unresolved trauma of colonization in Australia, where Indigenous communities were decimated and displaced during European settlement.
The incident has reignited discussions not only about Australia’s colonial past but also the broader impact of European colonialism across the globe—a legacy that still resonates today in many former colonies. While Australia gained de facto independence in 1901, the British monarchy remains its symbolic head of state, a status that continues to divide opinion. In 1999, Australians narrowly voted to remain a constitutional monarchy, and more recently, a proposal to recognize Indigenous Australians in the constitution was overwhelmingly rejected.
— Senator Babet (@senatorbabet) October 21, 2024
Australia’s struggle with its colonial history mirrors similar situations in other parts of the world, particularly in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, where European powers once ruled. In nations like South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, land reform remains a contentious issue, with descendants of colonized populations fighting for the return of land taken by settlers. In the Caribbean, countries like Jamaica and Barbados have seen growing calls to remove the British monarch as head of state and seek reparations for the exploitation suffered under colonial rule.
Across Europe, there are still nations—like the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands—that retain territories and influence over former colonies. French Polynesia, a territory in the South Pacific, remains under French rule, and the Netherlands still oversees islands like Aruba and Curaçao in the Caribbean. Calls for independence, autonomy, or reparations from former colonial powers remain alive, with many former colonies seeking justice for the atrocities committed during their occupation.
The protest by Lidia Thorpe in front of King Charles is a stark reminder that while many countries have gained independence, the scars of colonialism endure, and the call for accountability, land restitution, and justice continues across the globe.
