A conservative pro-life influencer who went viral after being punched in the face on the streets of New York is now suing her alleged attacker.
Savannah Craven Antao, host of the YouTube channel “Her Patriot Voice,” says she was doing man-on-the-street interviews for Live Action on April 3 when 30-year-old Brianna J. Rivers repeatedly struck her.
According to the lawsuit filed Nov. 18 in Bronx Supreme Court, Craven Antao needed stitches and more than $3,000 in medical treatment after the attack. Her legal team at the Thomas More Society says Rivers has “knowingly, willfully and maliciously continued to mock [Savannah] and her views online in order to further inflict emotional distress.”
The suit claims Rivers mocked Savannah’s religious beliefs and even sold merchandise celebrating the assault. One alleged design showed the word “BAM!” with a fist hitting a face — something the complaint says Rivers and her cousin created to raise money for her own defense.
Savannah’s attorneys say she’s suffering PTSD symptoms and has received hundreds of death threats since the attack. They’re seeking compensatory and punitive damages for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Rivers was originally charged with second-degree assault, but Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s office let the case collapse after failing to turn over discovery on time.
The lawsuit blasts Bragg for downgrading the charge, then allowing it to expire entirely.
Savannah also slammed Bragg’s handling of the case in an interview with Fox News. “I have to look over my shoulder… what the DA Alvin Bragg himself has shown… is that they can go assault somebody and hurt them if they disagree with them and nothing is going to happen,” she said.
Bragg’s office admitted to a “filing error” in September and apologized. “Every victim deserves their day in court… we are taking immediate internal steps in light of this case,” a spokesperson said.
Savannah says she filed the civil suit to recover her medical costs and to stop Rivers from doing this to someone else. “First, I’d really appreciate my over $3,000 in medical bills to be paid off… Second, it’s to send a message… hopefully to show her that she can’t do this again,” she said.
She added that she prays Rivers finds faith. “I hope that she eventually finds God… 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 failure left them no choice. “The D.A.’s office… failed to prosecute this vicious assault. Their refusal left us with no choice but to file civil action,” he said.
Savannah said the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk made her even more fearful. “If they could do it to somebody like him… what does this say for just average journalists… who don’t have the means to hire a whole security team?” she said.
She added that the threats Rivers “likes” online make her worry about what could happen next. “With all the threats online… it makes me wonder if the wrong person is going to find me next time and something worse will happen,” she said.
Rivers apologized in an April 5 Facebook post — but also took a swipe at Savannah. “Savannah is a professional antagonist, not a ‘reporter,’ and the truth will be told,” she wrote.