Melbourne police are searching for two individuals following a violent late-night assault at Camp Sovereignty, an Indigenous protest and cultural site located in the Kings Domain parklands.

The incident occurred on Sunday night when 37-year-old Ash Ni Mara, a volunteer fire protector at the site, attempted to intervene as a man began pulling burning timber from the site's sacred flame while a female accomplice filmed on her mobile phone.

According to Ni Mara—a Gunai, Gunditjmara, and Palawa person—the male offender became hostile after being questioned. Ni Mara was dragged roughly six metres across the ground, placed in a headlock, and repeatedly struck before other camp members rushed to restrain the attacker.

Disturbing Incident at Sacred Ground

Paramedics arrived shortly after to treat Ni Mara for minor facial injuries and perform checks for a potential concussion. Both offenders fled the parklands on foot before police units arrived at the scene.

Camp Sovereignty founder and Krautungalung elder Robbie Thorpe expressed deep distress following the attack, emphasizing the sacred and peaceful nature of the site, which serves as the final resting place for 38 Indigenous ancestors repatriated from the Museum of Victoria.

"To be woken up in the middle of the night and be told that people have been assaulted is a real concern," Thorpe said. "The fire is an important part of Aboriginal culture. It’s symbolic of our law and of our culture... this is the way we connect with our ancestors. This is a place of peace."

Police Review CCTV as Investigation Escalates

Detectives from the Melbourne Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) are actively canvassing surrounding streets and reviewing CCTV footage to identify the fleeing pair.

Superintendent Zorka Dunstan confirmed that authorities are looking into whether the attack was racially motivated. Police anticipate laying formal assault charges once the suspects are identified and apprehended.

A Growing Concern for Site Safety

The weekend violence is the second major safety incident at the Kings Domain camp in less than a year. Just last week in Victoria’s County Court, four men associated with the far-right National Socialist Network pleaded guilty to violent disorder following an August assault on camp members.

In light of the latest attack, camp organizers say they are currently reviewing security measures to safeguard both the continuous sacred fire and the volunteers who protect it daily.