$94k And Counting For The Gay Dad Who Allegedly Punched A MAGA Influencer Who Came For His Baby
A West Hollywood gay dad named David Vulin is facing a felony vandalism charge after a 16 April 2026 street confrontation with right-wing influencer Ryley Niemi, who approached the Vulin family on the footpath, with their baby in tow, and asked on camera whether gay parents were more likely to molest children. David allegedly hit Niemi and damaged his camera. His husband, Anthony, launched a legal defence GoFundMe in response. It has raised more than US94,875 as of this writing.
What happened on Santa Monica Boulevard
The Vulins were walking near the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard when Niemi, who works with the Temecula-based outfit Off The Record USA, approached them with a camera crew. He told the family he was interviewing for CNN. He was not.
Niemi opened with a soft question about the baby. He then pivoted to the long-discredited claim that gay men are more likely to commit child abuse. “Have you ever heard about the statistics coming out that gay men are much more likely to commit child molestation?” he asked. He also asked, “Don’t you think it’s weird that you guys have a child but neither of you are a woman?” The Vulins tried to leave. According to video evidence, David then hit Niemi in the head.
What David is facing
He was charged with felony vandalism for allegedly damaging Niemi’s camera, valued at more than US400. That value elevates the offence from a misdemeanour to a felony. He spent roughly 12 hours in custody before release. The couple disputes the vandalism claim and says the camera was never touched. David is preparing to “vigorously defend” the case.
What the internet did next
Anthony, who serves on West Hollywood’s Business License Commission, launched a GoFundMe for legal defence with a US100,000 target. It has cleared US$94,875 and is still climbing. “We were targeted in a way that was deeply upsetting and destabilising for our family,” Anthony wrote on the campaign page.
Niemi’s video has racked up more than 100,000 views, and Niemi has his own GoFundMe asking for US25,000 in replacement equipment. How the courts decide between a felony for a damaged camera and a misdemeanour for an alleged shove will play out in the months ahead. Niemi, for the record, reportedly shoved David first while David was holding their infant. The speed at which the LGBTQIA+ community has put money on David’s side already says where this story has landed in the court of public opinion.
