Key facts
- Ebony Bell assaulted Senator Lidia Thorpe outside the MCG in May 2024.
- Bell punched Thorpe twice to the head and jaw, causing a bruised lip and neck.
- Bell also assaulted Thorpe's male friend and pulled a woman's hair.
- Bell admitted to a second assault on a security guard in August 2025.
- Bell received a 12-month community corrections order and was fined $300.
- The court heard Thorpe's trauma was compounded by a lack of understanding of the motive.
Details of an assault on independent Senator Lidia Thorpe outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) have been revealed after a court lifted a suppression order. Ebony Bell, 29, was handed a 12-month community corrections order and a $300 fine for the attack, which occurred in May 2024.
Bell punched Senator Thorpe twice to the head and jaw, and also assaulted Thorpe's male friend and pulled a woman's hair as she attempted to restrain the accused. CCTV footage captured the assault. Photos of Thorpe's injuries, including a bruised lip and neck, were presented to the court. Senator Thorpe stated the assault left her suffering deep and long-lasting impacts, describing her trauma as compounded by a lack of understanding as to why it occurred, particularly in her role as a First Nations woman in the Senate.
The court heard that Bell's actions were allegedly motivated by comments Thorpe made about Bell's mother. Bell's barrister stated her client accepted responsibility due to her guilty plea and the alleged disrespect shown to her mother. Bell was initially ordered to undergo an anger management course and received a six-month deferred sentence in October 2025.
Bell committed a second offense in August 2025 while on bail for the Thorpe assault. CCTV showed her hitting a security guard with her phone multiple times and kicking him in the head after being refused entry to a regional pub. The prosecutor argued for a jail sentence, describing the second incident as a "gratuitous act of violence." Bell's barrister argued for a community order, alleging the refusal of entry was motivated by racism.
On Friday, Bell was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order and ordered to undergo treatment for alcohol addiction and anger management. Senator Thorpe expressed gratitude that the matter was finalized, noting the difficulty of public speculation. She reiterated her advocacy against a prison sentence for Bell and stated she had never met Bell before the incident.