A West Hollywood man who struck a conservative content creator during a widely viewed confrontation earlier this year will not face criminal charges, his attorney confirmed Thursday. David Vulin, 32, completed a court-supervised "pre-filing diversion" program with the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, resulting in the dismissal of potential prosecution, according to his lawyer, R.J. Dreiling.
The incident occurred in April on Santa Monica Boulevard when Vulin, accompanied by his husband Anthony and their infant son Ante, was approached by Ryley Niemi, a self-described "MAGA influencer" and political activist known for provoking liberals and mocking LGBTQ+ culture in his social media videos. Niemi, who has more than 73,000 followers on Instagram, reportedly identified himself as a CNN reporter and requested an interview. The encounter quickly escalated after Niemi asked Vulin a question regarding statistics about child molestation among gay men.
Video footage shared by Niemi shows Vulin shoving him during the initial exchange. Subsequent clips show Niemi confronted again several blocks away, where he is seen questioning the couple’s parenting while Vulin punches him multiple times. Another individual present is heard making an inflammatory statement against Niemi and his crew. Following the altercation, Vulin was arrested by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on suspicion of battery and vandalism. Niemi claimed he sustained a concussion and that one of his cameras was damaged. There is no video evidence showing Niemi physically striking Vulin or his husband at any point.
Niemi expressed surprise that Vulin would avoid prosecution, asserting the severity of the assault. “He hit me in the back of the head and gave me a concussion,” Niemi said. A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office confirmed the case was referred to and resolved through a pre-filing diversion program, and a judge authorized the sealing of all arrest records related to Vulin. The Sheriff’s Department did not respond to requests for comment.
In response, the Vulins expressed relief over the legal decision but criticized Niemi for provoking and monetizing the encounter without facing repercussions. They said they plan to collaborate with state legislators on measures aimed at holding individuals accountable for “rage-bait” content that causes harm.
Niemi, based in Temecula, frequently posts videos critical of the LGBTQ+ community and conservative-themed content. Among his provocative acts are questioning the deportation of transgender individuals and mocking speech patterns while engaging with critics on college campuses. After the incident, West Hollywood officials described Niemi as the aggressor and urged District Attorney Nathan Hochman not to prosecute Vulin.
Niemi maintained that he posed the controversial question to others without provoking violence and defended his targeting of the Vulins, citing their presence near gay clubs late at night and expressing concern over the child’s safety. Niemi indicated he might pursue a civil lawsuit against the Vulins.