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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Sundus Abdi

Maga influencer Melissa Rein Lively cautioned after admitting assault in London

Melissa Rein Lively.
Rein Lively allegedly stumbled into a pushchair before the assault. Photograph: Michael Franco/PA

A Maga influencer has admitted assaulting a woman at a London tube station during an altercation.

Melissa Rein Lively, 40, the founder of the “anti-woke” America First Public Relations firm in the US, allegedly pulled a woman’s hair in a “forceful manner” at Bond Street station last October.

She accepted a conditional caution over the incident, Westminster magistrates court heard on Tuesday.

As part of the caution, Rein Lively admitted the conduct amounted to a criminal offence and agreed to pay £910 in compensation to the victim. A charge of assault by beating against her was subsequently withdrawn.

The court heard the compensation, which is due in July, has not yet been paid. Rein Lively did not attend the hearing.

Prosecutor Lyndon Harris said the incident took place on the evening of 11 October last year as two sisters walked towards the station with their children, one of whom was in a pushchair.

According to the prosecution, the sisters noticed Rein Lively and a man, later identified as the German national Philipp Ostermann, ahead of them.

“It appeared to one of the sisters that Ms Lively may have been intoxicated,” Harris told the court.

Rein Lively allegedly stumbled into the pushchair, prompting the woman pushing it to move back.

Rein Lively was accused alongside Ostermann, 37, who was charged with two racially aggravated public order offences and a further public order offence against two alleged victims.

Ostermann, who wore a white shirt and dark suit and sat in seats in front of the dock, pleaded not guilty to the three charges against him.

Rein Lively grabbed one of the sisters by the hair and tugged it, the court heard.

According to prosecutors, the woman pulled Rein Lively’s hair in return in an attempt to make her let go.

Ostermann was freed on unconditional bail and told to return to the City of London magistrates court in November to face trial.

• The headline of this article was amended on 2 June 2026. An earlier version inaccurately said Melissa Rein Lively had “pleaded guilty” to assault. As the article reported, she admitted the offence and accepted a conditional caution, which is an out of court resolution rather than a prosecution.

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