A prominent American influencer associated with the Maga movement has admitted to assaulting a woman at a London underground station during a dispute last October. Melissa Rein Lively, 40, who leads the so-called 'anti-woke' public relations agency America First PR in the United States, allegedly pulled a woman's hair in a 'forceful manner' at Bond Street station.
On Tuesday, Westminster Magistrates Court was informed that she accepted a conditional caution regarding the incident. As part of this caution, Rein Lively acknowledged that her behavior constituted a criminal offense and consented to pay £910 in compensation to the victim. Consequently, a charge of assault by beating against her was dropped.
The court noted that the compensation, due in July, has not yet been paid. Rein Lively was not present at the hearing. Prosecutor Lyndon Harris detailed that the altercation occurred on the evening of October 11 last year when two sisters were walking toward the station with their children, one of whom was in a pushchair.
According to the prosecution, the sisters observed Rein Lively and a man, later identified as German national Philipp Ostermann, walking ahead of them. 'It appeared to one of the sisters that Ms Lively may have been intoxicated,' Harris stated. Rein Lively allegedly stumbled into the pushchair, causing the woman pushing it to step back. Rein Lively then grabbed one of the sisters by the hair and pulled it. In response, the woman pulled Rein Lively's hair to make her let go, the court heard.
Rein Lively was charged alongside Ostermann, 37, who faces two racially aggravated public order offenses and a further public order charge against two alleged victims. Ostermann, dressed in a white shirt and dark suit, pleaded not guilty to all three charges. He was released on unconditional bail and ordered to return to the City of London Magistrates Court in November for trial.
