Community Rallies in Support of West Hollywood Couple
WEST HOLLYWOOD, USA – An online fundraiser has gathered nearly $100,000 in donations for a gay couple facing significant legal costs after a hostile street interview escalated into a physical altercation. David Miller-Robinson and his husband Anthony Vulin were targeted by a right-wing social media personality while walking with their newborn child, leading to an arrest and a subsequent felony charge.
An Interview Under False Pretenses
The incident occurred on Santa Monica Boulevard when the couple was approached by Ryley Niemi and a camera crew. According to Vulin, they were told the interview was for CNN and would be about their baby. However, the questioning quickly turned provocative and discriminatory.
Niemi, a MAGA-affiliated influencer, posed a series of homophobic questions to the new fathers, including, "Have you ever heard about the statistics coming out that gay men are much more likely to commit child molestation?" and "Don’t you think it’s weird that you guys have a child but neither of you are a woman?"
Confrontation and Legal Consequences
Video footage circulated by Niemi shows the couple attempting to walk away before the situation intensifies. Miller-Robinson is seen pushing and then punching Niemi. Following the incident, Miller-Robinson was arrested for assault and later released. He now faces a felony charge for "vandalism with loss valued equal or greater than $400," related to alleged damage to a camera, a claim the couple denies.
This style of confrontational street interview has become a common tactic for some online content creators, who aim to provoke strong reactions for social media engagement. The edited videos often lack the full context of the encounter.
Overwhelming Financial Support
In response to the legal challenge, Vulin launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover the mounting costs of their legal defense. In the fundraiser's description, he stated, "As a gay couple with our newborn baby, we were targeted in a way that was deeply upsetting and destabilizing for our family... My husband and I have fought incredibly hard to build the life we have today and to welcome our baby into it, which makes this moment especially painful and overwhelming."
The appeal for support was met with a significant response. As of this report, the fund has raised over $97,000 from more than 2,300 individual donations, demonstrating a strong wave of community solidarity.
A separate fundraiser was started on behalf of Niemi to cover the cost of his allegedly damaged camera. It has raised less than $2,000.
