Aboriginal Protester Arrested During King's Visit to Sydney.

Aboriginal Protester Arrested During King's Visit to Sydney.

 An Aboriginal protester was arrested at the Sydney Opera House as crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen on the final day of their Australian tour.

Thousands of people packed the harbourside forecourt on Tuesday afternoon to see the royal couple. However, prior to their arrival, Wayne Wharton, a well-known Indigenous activist from Brisbane, was arrested after refusing to comply with a police order and shouting anti-monarchist slogans.

The incident follows increased backlash after Aboriginal senator Lidia Thorpe heckled King Charles during his visit to Canberra on Monday. Wharton's cry of "He’s not my King" echoed Senator Thorpe's words from the previous day. The crowd awaiting the royals responded by chanting "God save the King."

Wharton had also protested outside a church service attended by the royals earlier in the tour. While Thorpe's protest was praised by some Indigenous activists as courageous, it has been criticized by other Aboriginal leaders as disrespectful and "embarrassing." Many of her parliamentary colleagues have also condemned her actions.

On Tuesday, Thorpe announced that she had deleted a violent cartoon of the King from her Instagram account, attributing the post to a staff member and calling it "inappropriate."

Outside the Opera House, spectators applauded as Wharton was arrested and placed into a police van. Many had been waiting since early in the morning, with some waving Australian flags and others donning royal-themed accessories.

“We want to celebrate our country and all the people in it,” said Karen Clark, who attended with her sons, Benjamin and Harrison, both dressed in crowns and capes. “We were brought up with the King, and we celebrate his birthday with the boys. It’s fun to have high tea and dress up in our best outfits.”

Christie Delaney, who waited for hours, had the opportunity to shake Queen Camilla's hand. “I got a lot of excitement out of it, seeing someone so famous," she said. "To actually shake her hand and welcome her to Australia, that’s something else, isn’t it?”

Bettina Bethuel, who attended with her friend Taja Shephard, shared her thoughts on Thorpe’s protest. “I thought it was a little rude, but I suppose she’s making a point for Indigenous people. However, I don’t think it was appropriate."

Nellie Pollard-Wharton, who was with her father when he was arrested, criticized the crowd's reaction, describing it as "laughable" that people cheered while her father was being taken away for defending his rights. She added, "[But we] need to keep resisting so we can have treaties, so our rights are heard... so our health outcomes improve, and so we can actually self-determine."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, King Charles began his day with a visit to the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Redfern, where he met with Aboriginal elders. Later, he attended a community picnic in Parramatta, where he participated in a barbecue and met a sheepdog.