A video of a white woman calling the cops on a black man in New York City’s Central Park has gone viral.
According to a Twitter post made by the man’s sister, her brother asked the woman in the Bramble area of Central Park to put a leash on her dog, because it’s required, and when she refused he began recording her.
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The video shows that the woman did not want to be recorded and she threatened to call the cops as she approached the man. At that point, he asked her to not come any closer.
The woman calls 911 and repeatedly describes the man by his race in the call asking the dispatcher to “send the cops immediately.”
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
“There’s an African-American, he’s recording me and threatening me and my dog,” the woman states in the video, which doesn’t show any threats being made against the woman from the man.
During the call, the woman is holding her dog by the collar instead of putting the leash on the dog, even while it squirms and squeals from how it’s being held.
After the video went viral, the woman was identified and her employer issued a statement, according to CBS.
CBS said it reached out to Franklin Templeton to confirm its tweet about the viral video stating the woman had been placed on administrative leave.
In response to an incident involving an employee on May 25th, Franklin Templeton issued the following statement. pic.twitter.com/8f2lMwK0r5
— Franklin Templeton (@FTI_US) May 26, 2020
The woman surrendered the dog seen in the video to the animal shelter from which she adopted it.
“The dog is now in our rescue’s care and he is safe and in good health," an official with Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue said. "We will not be responding to any further inquiries about the situation, either publicly or privately. Thank you for your understanding.”
Thank you to the concerned public for reaching out to us about a video involving a dog that was adopted from our rescue...
Posted by Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Inc. on Monday, May 25, 2020
The New York City Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information issued a statement saying, “Police were called to the Central Park Ramble for a report of an assault. Upon arrival, police determined two individuals had engaged in a verbal dispute. There were no arrests or summonses issued.”
The man’s sister took to Twitter to share that the pair were safe and said, “My brother & I are so grateful for your concern! He is fine and left to continue birding after she leashed the dog, as he politely requested. I wanted folks to know what happened to make sure it never happens again from her. All she had to do was put her poor dog on the leash.”
My brother & I are so grateful for your concern! He is fine and left to continue birding after she leashed the dog, as he politely requested. I wanted folks to know what happened to make sure it never happens again from her. All she had to do was put her poor dog on the leash.
— Melody Cooper (@melodyMcooper) May 26, 2020
Amy Cooper, the woman identified from the video who called 911, issued an apology during an interview with NBC New York saying, “I sincerely and humbly apologize to everyone, especially to that man, his family. When I think about the police, I’m such a blessed person. I’ve come to realize especially today that I think of [the police] as a protection agency, and unfortunately, this has caused me to realize that there are so many people in this country that don’t have that luxury.”