A conservative pro-life influencer who went viral after being punched in the face during a street interview in New York City has filed a lawsuit against her alleged attacker.
Savannah Craven Antao, pro-life activist and host of the YouTube channel “Her Patriot Voice,” says she was conducting man-on-the-street interviews for the organization Live Action on April 3 when she was repeatedly struck by Brianna J. Rivers, 30, of the Bronx.
According to the complaint, filed Nov. 18 in Bronx Supreme Court, Craven Antao went to the emergency room for stitches after the attack, incurring more than $3,000 in medical bills. Her attorneys at the Thomas More Society allege that Rivers has “knowingly, willfully and maliciously continued to mock [Savannah] and her views online in order to further inflict emotional distress.”
The lawsuit also claims Rivers mocked Craven Antao’s religious beliefs and marketed merchandise referencing the assault. One alleged post showed a T-shirt design with the word “BAM!” and an image of a fist striking a face — which the complaint says Rivers and her cousin created to raise money for her legal defense.
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Craven Antao’s attorneys say the influencer has suffered symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and has received hundreds of death threats since the incident. The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Rivers was initially charged with second-degree assault, but the case was dismissed in July after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office failed to turn over discovery on time. The lawsuit criticizes Bragg’s office for downgrading the charge to a misdemeanor and later allowing it to lapse.
Craven Antao also slammed Bragg’s handling of her case in an interview with Fox News Digital this week.
“I have to look over my shoulder and worry about if somebody who supports her actions — there are a lot of people out there that do — that they’re going to try to do something else,” she said. “Because what the D.A. Alvin Bragg himself has shown to people, with letting this case be dropped, is that they can go assault somebody and hurt them if they disagree with them and nothing is going to happen.”
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In September, Bragg’s office issued a statement acknowledging a filing error and apologizing to Craven Antao.
“Every victim deserves their day in court, and our office has reached out to apologize to Ms. Craven Antao for the unacceptable error of missing the discovery deadline,” a spokesperson said. “We are taking immediate internal steps in light of this case.”
Craven Antao said she decided to file the lawsuit to hold Rivers accountable and send a message.
“First, I’d really appreciate my over $3,000 in medical bills to be paid off, because I should not be responsible for those,” she said. “Second, it’s to send a message — hopefully to show her that she can’t do this again.”
“Honestly, I hope that she eventually finds God,” she continued. “That’s what I pray for, because it’s obvious that she’s got a lot of deep trauma rooted, and she takes it out on other people.”
Thomas More Society attorney Christopher Ferrara said Bragg’s handling of the case forced them to take civil action against Rivers.
“Savannah was violently assaulted for peacefully expressing her pro-life beliefs and then humiliated all over again when the attacker went online to glorify it,” he said in a statement. “The D.A.’s office had every opportunity to pursue justice and due to their incompetency or lack of will, failed to prosecute this vicious assault. Their refusal left us with no choice but to file civil action to hold Rivers accountable.”
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Craven Antao also linked her fears to broader safety concerns for conservative figures, citing the recent killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
“If they could do it to somebody like him, who has the resources to have the security and the checks and all the people surrounding him, what does this say for just average journalists … who don’t have the means to hire a whole security team and be armed?” she said.
“With all the threats online and the comments she ‘likes,’ encouraging her behavior, it makes me wonder if the wrong person is going to find me next time and something worse will happen,” she continued.
Rivers previously apologized in an April 5 Facebook post, saying she was sorry “but cannot sit around and allow you to continue pushing this one-sided narrative.”
“I understand hands being put on someone is never the answer, but throwing rocks and hiding hands is worse. Savannah is a professional antagonist, not a ‘reporter,’ and the truth will be told,” she added.
The Manhattan D.A.’s office and Rivers did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Fox News’ Michael Dorgan contributed to this article.
