A woman accused of racism and animal abuse has lost her job after a video of an altercation in New York City’s Central Park went viral.
Social media users outed Amy Cooper after she was filmed threatening to call the police on a black man and tell them “there’s an African-American man threatening my life.” Cooper was first suspended from her position at the investment management firm Franklin Templeton pending an internal review and was later fired.
“Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved, effective immediately. We do not tolerate racism of any kind at Franklin Templeton,” the company said on Twitter.
Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved, effective immediately. We do not tolerate racism of any kind at Franklin Templeton.
— Franklin Templeton (@FTI_US) May 26, 2020
Cooper lost her job despite issuing a public apology after the incident. “I’m not a racist. I did not mean to harm that man in any way,” she told CNN.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio sounded off on the incident in a tweet on Tuesday morning.
“The video out of Central Park is racism, plain and simple. She called the police BECAUSE he was a Black man. Even though she was the one breaking the rules. She decided he was the criminal and we know why. This kind of hatred has no place in our city,” the mayor said.
The video out of Central Park is racism, plain and simple.
She called the police BECAUSE he was a Black man. Even though she was the one breaking the rules. She decided he was the criminal and we know why.
This kind of hatred has no place in our city. https://t.co/6PP7jIwL1g
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) May 26, 2020
Cooper, a white woman, was exercising her dog in Central Park’s Ramble over the Memorial Day weekend. She had let the dog off its leash, breaking a rule for pets in the Ramble. Christian Cooper, a black man and no relation to Amy, told her that she was breaking the rules and that she should put her dog on a leash. He posted a rough transcript of what transpired on his Facebook page.
Central Park this morning: This woman’s dog is tearing through the plantings in the Ramble.
ME: Ma’am, dogs in the Ramble have to be on the leash at all times. The sign is right there.
HER: The dog runs are closed. He needs his exercise.
ME: All you have to do is take him to the other side of the drive, outside the Ramble, and you can let him run off leash all you want.
HER: It’s too dangerous.
ME: Look, if you’re going to do what you want, I’m going to do what I want, but you’re not going to like it.
HER: What’s that?
ME (to the dog): Come here, puppy!
HER: He won’t come to you.
ME: We’ll see about that…
I pull out the dog treats I carry for just for such intransigence. I didn’t even get a chance to toss any treats to the pooch before Karen scrambled to grab the dog.
HER: DON’T YOU TOUCH MY DOG!!!!!
That’s when I started video recording with my iPhone, and when her inner Karen fully emerged and took a dark turn…
The man also posted a video showing a distressed Amy holding her dog by the collar, presumably choking the animal, while threatening to call the police on Christian. Eventually, she does call the police, saying, “There is an African-American man. I am in Central Park. He is recording me and threatening myself and my dog.”
Central Park this morning: This woman's dog is tearing through the plantings in the Ramble.ME: Ma'am, dogs in the…
Posted by Christian Cooper on Monday, May 25, 2020
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