This week the King and Queen visited Australia for a 6 day tour, the first time the King has visited Australia since his inauguration as King. Meetings with Royalty aren’t anything new – being our head of state, nor are protests.

Lidia Thorpe loudly interjected during King Charles visit to parliament house. Shouting epithets of “You are no my King!”, “You stole our land, you stole our babies!”, “No more Colonialization”. It was quite a sensational outburst, loud and full of invective. The condemnation of her act came quick, on news bulletins, social media and so forth.

But I can’t help to think that, this in a strange performative way, is a great piece of “performance art” showing how robust our democracy is. That one can more or less hurl abuse toward a reigning monarch, and given our bastions of free-speech, we don’t arrest her or set in motion plans for her resignation (notwithstanding what the public may think or want). And that’s pretty cool.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Lidia was hush-hush “okayed” to do this stunt, or at best was not given clear directions not to make a fuss.

It has been known that Lidia Thorpe has had a very critical view of the Royal Family for a long period of time, so having her attend the conference would always be fraught with some kind peril. Not in the least that as a senator she cannot be censured.

I’d think that while admonishing Lidia publicly, many public servants, at least secretly, would be relishing this defiant act. Again it shows our absolute resilience to free speech, in face of the highest authority in the land. That nobody, nobody is beyond reproach or questioning.

Given Charles’ latest comments about not interfering if Australia should want to become a republic would be “delighted” (to use an oft used word by the Royals) in this protest shakeup. It would have given a lot more life to the meeting and a bit of an adrenalin jolt before things settled down. The King and Queen by all accounts didn’t seem too fazed by it.

Whilst I don’t agree with her act, and thought it was a little self-serving and school kid tantrum-like. I applaud her for showing us democratic principles in action.