In recent days, with King Charles III’s trip to Australia, a dramatic video from nearly three decades ago has resurfaced online, sparking a wave of curiosity.
The video captures a startling moment from 1994, when then-Prince Charles was delivering a speech in Sydney, and a young man rushed the stage, firing what seemed to be two gunshots. But was it an actual attempt to harm the future king?
Revisiting the 1994 Incident
In January of 1994, Prince Charles was in Australia to mark the country’s national day celebrations on January 26. His speech was taking place in Sydney’s Tumbalong Park when, unexpectedly, a man named David Kang jumped forward from the crowd, firing two rounds from a starting pistol.
Charles, remarkably composed, stood at the podium as security officers subdued Kang. Although the incident startled onlookers, it was later clarified what Kang’s action was due to.
Did they attempt to assassinate King Charles?
No, it was a protest. Kang, a 23-year-old university student at the time, had written to Charles prior to the visit, urging him to draw attention to the plight of Cambodian refugees held in the Villawood Detention Center in Australia.
In his letter, Kang described the center as a “modern-day concentration camp,” stressing that many of these individuals, including children, faced distressing conditions. While the prince’s office did respond to Kang, the answer was ultimately that Charles couldn’t personally intervene in such issues.
As Kang leaped onto the stage and fired his blank shots, Charles’ unexpected calmness stood out.
Videos show him observing the scene with poise as Australian officials and security personnel quickly contained the situation. Charles soon resumed his speech, continuing with his itinerary without major changes.
At the time, Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating addressed the incident, emphasizing that it was not a true assassination attempt but a protest.
Despite initial concerns, Kang was never charged with attempted murder. Instead, he faced consequences for “threatening unlawful violence,” resulting in a sentence of 500 hours of community service.
Kang later clarified that his intent was never to harm anyone, describing the incident as traumatic for himself as well.
With viral videos spreading, it is important to remember that the incident was a political demonstration and not an attempt to assassinate King Charles, but his poise in the face of the confusing situation has been praised online.