Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has been left with a slightly blackened eye after a “firm whack to the face” from a cream-covered crepe at a Darwin market.

The NT leader fronted the media on Monday afternoon with a faint mark under her left eye following Sunday’s bizarre altercation, saying she wouldn’t be deterred from doing her job.

“It was a pretty firm whack to the face but I’m OK, as you can see,” she said.

“I will be getting checked out by a medical team just to make sure. I was in a little bit of discomfort yesterday and this morning. I’m back at work and I’ll get on with it.

“To whack someone in the face like that, I’ll call it for what it is: it is a violent assault and it is unacceptable.”

Footage shared on social media showed a woman rushing towards Fyles as she left a bank on Sunday and shoving what was described as a whipped cream crepe into her face.

NT police have charged a 56-year-old woman with aggravated assault. She was bailed to appear in court on October 10.

The woman has been named in multiple media outlets as Darwin real estate agent Suzi Milgate. She downplayed her alleged actions on Monday, saying she “didn’t want harm [Ms Fyles] whatsoever”.

“Do you think a cream pie is an assault? It’s fresh cream pie,” she told Sky News Australia.

“It’s not even face on, I just said, ‘Hi, boom’ – that’s it, there was no force behind it.”

Fyles said she welcomed respectful debate with those who disagreed with her but violence was never acceptable. She said the incident wouldn’t put her off being out and about in the community.

“One of the great things about the territory is you can see members of parliament out and about in the community, you can approach them,” she said.

“I’m always up for a conversation. I’m always up for a tough conversation.

“It won’t deter me, I’ll be back out in the community because that is what is so important to me.”

NT police said they were working with the government and Fyles’ team on security measures.

This is the second incident involving the NT leader this year. In May, she was she was left distressed after being confronted by anti-fracking protesters while taking part in a trail-running event.

-with AAP