Hundreds of activists rallied in Australia on Thursday to denounce the devastating effects of colonial Britain on Indigenous peoples as the country marks a public holiday to commemorate the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
“Abolish the Monarchy” protesters rallied in cities including Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra to protest persecution of Indigenous people since the British landed in Australia more than two centuries ago.
In Sydney, scores of people gathered near a statue of Queen Victoria in the city center before marching through the streets.
“I think the monarchy needs to realize that there is still work to be done here in Australia,” said Gwenda Stanley, a 49-year-old Gomeroi activist.
“The monarch is not something to mourn, it is something for our people to rejoice in,” she said, calling for the return of indigenous lands and compensation for “war crimes.”
“The monarchy must be abolished, it should have been done many years ago,” said 24-year-old indigenous activist Paul Silva.
“First Nations in Australia are still fighting for their traditional land,” he added.
“We demand that they return these lands to the traditional owners.”
At a national memorial service for the Queen in Canberra, Australia’s Governor-General, David Hurley, who represents the monarchy, said he acknowledged the concerns of the island continent’s first settlers.
“Given the unifying role Her Majesty has played, I recognize that her death has provoked mixed reactions from some in our community,” Hurley said.
“I recognize and respect that the response of many First Nations Australians has been shaped by our colonial history and our broader journey towards reconciliation. This is a journey that we must complete as a nation.”
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised a referendum in his first three-year term to give indigenous peoples the right to be consulted by lawmakers on matters affecting them, a so-called Voice to Parliament.
Despite being a self-confessed Republican, Albanese has made parliament’s vote his priority, dismissing questions about a push for an Australian republic as inappropriate during a period of mourning.
The arrival of British settlers in 1788 marked the beginning of two centuries of discrimination and oppression against Indigenous Australians, who have inhabited the land for an estimated 65,000 years.
Persecution of tribal peoples is woven into Australia’s history, beginning with post-colonial decimation and continuing through measures such as the forced removal of children.
The inequalities faced by Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain severe, with life expectancies years shorter than other Australians and a higher death rate in prison.
