Image of the decapitated king shared by the senator “without my knowledge”

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe says she has deleted an image of a beheaded King Charles III that was shared on her social media page without her approval.

The image was accompanied by the text “You are not our king”, part of what Thorpe said as she interrupted proceedings in the Great Hall.

“Earlier this evening, without my knowledge, a member of my team shared an image to my Instagram Stories created by another account,” Thorpe said in an explanation on Instagram.

“I deleted it as soon as I saw it.

“I would not intentionally share anything that could be considered to encourage violence against anyone.

“That’s not what I mean.”

Thorpe’s brash protest in Parliament was polarizing, with many praising the senator as well as criticizing her actions.

All the cameras in the Great Hall quickly focused on the Gunnai woman, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung as she shouted “give us back our land”, “not your land” and “you are not my king. You n ‘You’re not our king.’

She also called on the king to “give us a treaty”, and was heard saying “f— the colony” before finally being escorted away by security.

King Charles, 75, who acceded to the throne after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, appeared unfazed by the protest.

Critics condemned the display as offensive. Former Indigenous senator and Olympian Nova Peris said she was “deeply disappointed”.

“Her outburst, which disrupted what should have been a respectful event, was both embarrassing and disrespectful to our nation and the royal family,” Peris said on X.

Thorpe’s supporters called her “legendary” in Instagram posts that were later shared by the senator.