American influencer and “anti-woke” PR firm founder Melissa Rein Lively has admitted to assaulting a woman outside a London Underground station during an incident that also involved alleged racist abuse.
What happened at Bond Street station
According to prosecutors, the incident happened outside Bond Street Underground station on October 11 last year. Melissa Rein Lively, 40, was there with her boyfriend, German businessman Philipp Ostermann, 37.
At the same time, two sisters, Sabba Javed and Mariam were walking toward the station with family members and children. One of the sisters was pushing a child in a pushchair. Prosecutors told Westminster Magistrates’ Court that the sisters noticed Lively and Ostermann ahead of them. The pair were kissing as they walked toward the station and appeared to be intoxicated.
Lively then stumbled into the pushchair. As one of the sisters pushed it back, Ostermann allegedly turned and shouted, “You bloody Indians, watch where you’re going, you shouldn’t be here,” according to prosecutors.
One of the sisters responded, “She fell over my sister’s pushchair, we are not even Indian, stop being racist,” the court was told, per The Independent.
Ostermann then went to kiss Lively again. Following this exchange, Lively grabbed one of the sisters by the hair and tugged it forcefully, prosecutors said. The sister grabbed Lively’s hair back in an attempt to free herself.
British Transport Police said they had received reports that a woman had been racially abused and assaulted while entering Bond Street station with family members, per the Daily Mail.
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What happened in court
Lively did not appear in person at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. However, prosecutors confirmed she had accepted a conditional caution and agreed to pay £910 in compensation. The assault by beating charge against her was withdrawn.
Prosecutor Lyndon Harris told the court: “Ms Lively has accepted a conditional caution in response to the allegation against her. That involved an admission to the conduct alleged against her and acknowledgement that it amounts to an offence, and she has agreed to pay £910 in compensation.”
Lively has not yet paid the compensation, which is due in July, according to court.
Her boyfriend Ostermann pleaded not guilty to two counts of racially aggravated harassment and one count of threatening or abusive behavior. He was freed on unconditional bail and ordered to return to City of London Magistrates’ Court on November 17 for trial, as per Daily Mail.
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Who is Melissa Rein Lively?
Lively is the founder of America First PR, which she describes as an “anti-woke” public relations firm, according to her Instagram page. She is based in Arizona.
She previously drew attention in the United States after posting videos of herself removing face masks from store displays during the Covid pandemic, as per Daily Mail.
Lively also attempted to become White House press secretary during Trump’s second administration but was unsuccessful and the role went to Karoline Leavitt.
And her boyfriend Ostermann is an associate director at Aequita, a Munich-based private equity firm.