After making a big deal of a black man's request to put her dog on a leash whole strolling in Central Park by calling the cops on the birdwatcher, a white woman is now facing criminal charges.
The woman, who was identified as Amy Cooper is now being charged for falsely reporting an incident to the police. Ms. Cooper was taped calling 911 and reporting that she was being threatened by a black man.
According to BBC, the Manhattan district attorney has announced that Ms. Cooper will be facing consequences for her misdemeanor during the encounter, Monday.
Moreover, District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. stated that more information will be provided by the DA as the case progresses. He also added that the DA's office is encouraging everyone who has been victims of false reporting to come forward and contact the office. He also emphasized that perpetrators of such false accusations and misdemeanors should be held accountable.
The DA's office has already issued an appearance ticker for Ms. Cooper. Her arraignment is set to be held on the 14th of October, and if convicted she may be facing at most a year of jail time.
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Footage of the incident sparked social media outrage
The video of Ms. Cooper with the said Black birdwatcher, identified as Christian Cooper, a prominent figure in the bird-watching community of New York has circulated in social media since the end of May.
The recording was taped by Christian himself during the encounter. After he posted it on Twitter, the video has been viewed and shared more than 44 million times.
Several social media users called out Ms. Cooper's actions. She was even labeled as another "Karen," a nickname which has become an internet jargon used to describe entitled white women, after it was pointed out that signs in Central Park clearly stated that dogs must be leashed at all times.
Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash. pic.twitter.com/3YnzuATsDm — Melody Cooper (@melodyMcooper) May 25, 2020
After the video went viral, Ms. Cooper was quickly identified by netizens. The incident has also prompted Franklin Templeton, the company where she works to fire her from the job.
Aside from this, her rescue dog was also forfeited by the organization where she adopted it from after people raised concerns about the animal's well-being. However, after the dog was found healthy, the animal was immediately returned to her.
According to NBC News, at the time, Ms. Cooper issued a public apology for the encounter and admitted that she overreacted. However, she also indicated that she was concerned after since Christian Cooper was yelling during the said altercation and has offered a treat to her dog which she was unsure of the contents. In her statement, Ms. Cooper said that she has come to realize that while she was blessed enough that when she thinks of the police, she feels safe it isn't the same for everyone in the community.
Meanwhile, she is yet to give a comment on the charges that were filed against her.
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