The New York woman who punched a young pro-life activist in the face during a street interview is now facing criminal charges—and no longer has access to the more than $8,000 she raised on GoFundMe to pay for her legal defense.
Brianna J. Rivers, 30, was arrested last Thursday after she was caught on video striking Savannah Craven Antao, a 23-year-old member of the pro-life organization Live Action. The altercation occurred during an on-camera interview in Harlem, where Craven Antao was asking passersby about abortion and Planned Parenthood.
Following the incident, Rivers quickly launched a GoFundMe campaign for legal expenses, and supporters raised nearly $8,700. But the fundraising platform removed the campaign for violating its terms of service, which prohibit raising money for the legal defense of violent crimes—including assault and battery. GoFundMe also confirmed that all donors were issued refunds.
Rivers has been charged with one count of second-degree assault, a serious felony. She later took to Facebook to lash out at Craven Antao and her supporters, accusing them of “cyber bullying” and “stalking,” and claiming she lost her job over the incident. Despite the assault, Rivers attempted to portray herself as a victim and posted a vague apology, saying, “Hands being put on someone is never the answer,” but accused the pro-life activist of “throwing rocks and hiding hands.”
Live Action later released the full, uncut video of the interview. It showed that the interaction started off polite, but escalated as Craven Antao asked tough questions about taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood and the morality of abortion. Rivers’ answers grew increasingly hostile, and at one point, she shockingly asked, “Why not?” in response to whether children in foster care should be killed to prevent suffering.
When Craven Antao calmly pointed out the inconsistency in Rivers’ stance, the interview took a violent turn. Without warning, Rivers punched her in the face, leaving her bleeding and requiring hospital care. Photos later showed Craven Antao’s face bloodied from the assault.
The advocate’s husband, Henry Antao, said in a statement that Rivers became physically aggressive after discovering Savannah’s pro-life views. He stepped in to protect his wife and immediately called the police. “We are pro-life activists because ending abortion and protecting babies from the violence that Planned Parenthood commits is the most important issue of our lifetime,” Henry said.
While mainstream platforms like GoFundMe rightly removed the fundraiser, the fact that Rivers was able to quickly raise thousands of dollars after physically assaulting a peaceful pro-life woman speaks volumes about the political double standards in today’s culture. Had the roles been reversed, it’s hard to imagine the same leniency or support being offered.
This incident serves as a reminder that the pro-life movement is not only fighting for the rights of the unborn—but often doing so while facing open hostility and even violence from abortion supporters.
