The iconic statue of Queen Victoria in Sydney’s CBD has been defaced with red paint during a suspected protest against King Charles and Queen Camilla’s tour of Australia.
Police are investigating the incident which saw red paint splashed over the statue outside the Queen Victoria Building.
It is expected that camera images from the area will be able to identify those responsible.
The incident comes just a day after Senator Lidia Thorpe challenged the king during a welcome reception at federal parliament.
During the meeting at Parliament House in Canberra, Victoria’s independent senator told the monarch he was not her king.
‘You are not our king. You are not sovereign,” she shouted.
“You have committed genocide against our people. Give us our country back. Give us what you stole from us: our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people.
‘You have destroyed our country. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty.’
The King and Queen, who were still on the podium during the confrontation, seemed to pay no attention as the King turned to speak to the Prime Minister and Camilla.
During their tour of Australia, Charles and Camilla have faced modest protests from supporters of First Nations resistance to colonization, who have displayed a banner with the word “decolonize” at a number of events.
The iconic statue of Queen Victoria, located outside the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney’s CBD, is defaced with red paint as King Charles tours Australia
Labor Minister Amanda Rishworth said on Tuesday that Senator Thorpe’s actions were “quite disrespectful and not only to the King, but to the many great Australians gathered in the Great Hall.”
“We’re quite shocked and didn’t quite understand why this was going on, so it was very disrespectful,” she told Nine’s Today programme.
“But it didn’t put a damper on … the very positive rest of the welcome ceremony, which I think was really, really positive.”
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe was criticized for her protest stunt against King Charles at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday afternoon
The King had just finished speaking in the Great Hall when Mrs. Thorpe shouted a torrent of abuse at the monarch
Nationals MP Bridget McKenzie said she was shocked.
“If you are not a fan of King Charles and Queen Camilla, please do not accept the Prime Minister’s invitation,” she told Nine.
The federal opposition is considering tabling a motion of censure against Senator Thorpe in the House of Lords at the next session on November 8.