Pro-Life Activist Brutally Assaulted While Conducting Street Interviews in NYC
A pro-life activist was violently attacked Thursday while conducting street interviews in New York City.
Savannah Craven, a campaigner with the pro-life group Live Action, was punched in the face by an enraged pro-abortion passerby during an interview near a Planned Parenthood abortion center in Manhattan.
According to posts on X, Craven was asking pedestrians, “Do you know what Planned Parenthood does?” when she was brutally attacked.
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The assailant, described by witnesses as a pro-abortion advocate, reportedly grew agitated during a brief exchange with Craven before delivering the blow. Video footage circulating on X shows the pro-life activist reeling from the punch, which left her visibly shaken. NYPD officers responded to the scene, though no arrests have been confirmed as of early Friday.
“I was simply engaging in conversation, exercising my right to speak,” Craven said in a statement posted to X late Thursday. “This kind of violence is unacceptable and shows the lengths some will go to silence dissent.”
This is the pro-abortion woman who brutally assaulted pro-life activist Savanah Craven.
If you recognize her, please contact NYPD.
She should be held accountable.https://t.co/89dru2TfKq pic.twitter.com/runmlAg2en
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) April 4, 2025
Live Action, a prominent pro-life organization, condemned the attack, calling it a “direct assault on free expression.” The group’s founder, Lila Rose, posted on X:
Savannah Craven, a pro-life advocate working with Live Action, was just assaulted by a pro-abortion supporter in NYC while interviewing passerbys, asking them “Do you know what Planned Parenthood does?” An abortion supporter began talking with Savannah but became enraged when she found out Savannah was pro-life and began punching her in the face. Please pray for Savannah who is at the hospital now.
The incident, which took place around 3 p.m. EDT, quickly gained traction online, with posts on X from conservative commentators like Raheem Kassam of The National Pulse decrying the violence.
Supporters of Craven rallied under hashtags like #JusticeForSavannah, while others criticized the city’s handling of public confrontations.
NYPD spokesperson Sgt. Maria Gonzalez said the department is investigating but declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
Craven, who has worked with Live Action for three years, vowed to continue her outreach. “This won’t stop me,” she posted. “The truth matters too much.”
As of Friday morning, no charges had been filed, and the suspect remained at large. The incident has reignited calls for stronger protections for activists in public spaces, with both sides of the abortion debate pointing to it as evidence of deepening societal divides.