Pro-life journalist assaulted on street assigns blame to Democratic rhetoric
Pro-life activist Savannah Craven Antao believes the Democratic Party’s recent rhetoric about "punching" at their Republican opponents contributed to the attack that left her bloody during a recent interview.
Antao, a young pro-life influencer who was punched in the face by a woman she was interviewing in New York City earlier this month, pointed to Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s, D-Texas, recent line about Democrats "punching" as inspiring the attack that happened to her.
"She said, ‘I think that you punch,’" Antao told Fox News Digital. "'I think you're okay with punching.’ So yeah – pretty much just describes the left at this point. They're okay with violence. They're totally fine with just using force like that to hurt people if they don't agree with them."
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Antao was referring to Crockett’s words from an interview in March during which she described how the Democratic Party should approach its political fights with Republicans in red states like Texas.
"I think you punch," Crockett said in an interview when asked how Democrats turn things around, appearing to speak metaphorically. "I think you're OK with punching."
The pro-life influencer was slugged in the face last week while doing street interviews in New York City for the pro-life organization Live Action.
Video taken by Antao’s husband captured the moment when one woman grew fed up with the conversation she had been having with the journalist. The assailant stopped mid-speech and delivered two blows straight to Antao’s face. The reporter was sent reeling off camera as the attacker walked away from the scene.
Antao was left cut and bloodied by the altercation. In an Instagram post, she wrote, "I was just assaulted in Harlem interviewing people on the street. In cop car. Heading to hospital. Updates soon. ABORTION SUPPORTERS ARE VIOLENT!"
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The victim said police are still tracking down her assailant.
The suspect, who revealed her name was Brianna Rivers in a recent Facebook post, accused Antao of inciting the attack by antagonizing her.
"To Savannah, I sincerely apologize 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," she wrote, adding, "She knows the truth and she needs to release the footage in its entirety. Savannah is a professional antagonist not a ‘reporter’ and the truth will be told."
When asked about the response, Antao told Fox that the suspect’s behavior is emblematic of "so much of the left."
"But it is quite a shame that, just because she felt antagonized by me asking her clarifying questions – or that I was just out there with a different opinion and somehow, I deserved or walked into getting punched. It's just ridiculous, but I mean, this is the left nowadays. This is so much of the left."
Antao doubled down when asked again if Democratic lawmakers, like Crockett, have inspired this attack with their recent rhetoric.
"Oh, 100 percent," she replied, adding that Democratic figures "want to incite violence."
She pointed to the recent vandalism against Tesla vehicles from leftists as more evidence of this violent tendency, saying, "When the liberals are done with something, they want to destroy it. They go and destroy people's property, light Teslas on fire, put their feces on Tesla's. It's disgusting."
Crockett's office didn't respond to a request for comment.