Antagonizing a New Yorker? F— around and find out. What began as a street-side interview in Harlem quickly escalated into a viral moment of tension—and a bit of violence to boot.
Savannah Craven Antao, a 23-year-old pro-life activist and reporter with the anti-abortion group Live Action, was sucker-punched during a filmed exchange on abortion rights. The clip, which has since circulated widely online, shows Antao speaking to a young Black woman about Planned Parenthood.
According to The New York Post, the interview took place on the busy streets of Harlem, where Antao was canvassing for content tied to her organization’s anti-abortion message. During this six-minute interview, the assailant made it clear that she was pro-choice, and the two agreed about alternative options other than abortion, including adoption and practicing safe sex. Things got awkward when Craven Antao asked whether foster kids should be killed because “they’re not wanted,” and the assailant said, “Why not?”
“Who’s going to take care of them?” the assailant asked as tempers started to flair. “If I don’t want to have a baby I should have the choice to have the baby or not,” she continued before calling Craven Antao “dumb as f–k” for suggesting women simply refrain from having sex. “That’s not logical.”
Condensingly, Craven res, “I’m not the one who admitted they would be okay with killing babies in foster care and killing children that have been abused.” “That’s not the point. What I’m saying is …” the interviewee began before Craven Antao snatched the mic away while her subject was talking. Turning into a rage bait, the assailant served a quick combo to the interviewer’s face and quickly walked away.
The assailant, later identified as Brianna Rivers, took to social media and accepted responsibility for her actions. “To Savannah, I sincerely apologize, but I cannot sit around and allow you to continue pushing this one-sided narrative,” Rivers shared in a viral Facebook post. “I understand that putting hands on someone is never the answer, but throwing rocks and hiding hands is worse,” she stated, asserting that Craven Antao antagonized her throughout the interview.
Currently, the conservative influencer — who shares video content shaming women — is now nursing her black eye, two stitches below her eyebrow, nasal pain, and public embarrassment. No reports have been made about the arrest of Brianna Rivers.