A Donald Trump-supporting influencer and PR executive has admitted to assaulting a woman by yanking her hair at a London Underground station, because apparently the 'Make America Great Again' spirit doesn't travel well.
Melissa Rein Lively, 40, was reported by the woman for the incident at Bond Street station on the evening of 11 October. Rein Lively accepted a conditional caution, while an assault by beating charge against her was withdrawn at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. She was not present in court, perhaps busy redefining 'personal responsibility.'
Her partner, Philipp Ostermann, 37, a German national who was with her at the station, denied two racially aggravated public order offences and a further public order offence. He was released on conditional bail. The court heard the couple appeared intoxicated and were kissing ahead of the woman and her sister, who were walking with two children, one in a pushchair.
Prosecutor Lyndon Harris told the court that Rein Lively's admission to the conduct amounts to an offence, and she agreed to pay £910 in compensation - though that sum had not yet been paid and is due in July. Ostermann is set for trial at City of London Magistrates' Court on 17 November.
The court heard the trouble started when Rein Lively stumbled into the pushchair, leading the woman to push back. Ostermann allegedly said, 'You bloody Indians, watch where you're going, you shouldn't be here.' One of the women corrected him - they were not Indian - and told him to stop being racist. Rein Lively then grabbed one sister by the hair and tugged 'in a forceful manner.'
Rein Lively is founder of America First Public Relations, an 'anti-woke' PR firm, which apparently doesn't include anti-hair-pulling in its platform. Ostermann is an associate director at Munich-based private equity company Aequita.