Cuomo supports Amy Cooper bill to keep “Karens” from weaponizing racism calls to 911

The New York Post reports the “Amy Cooper” bill, first introduced in 2018 and carried by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn), is expected to pass this week. The proposed law would make it a hate crime when 911 callers make a false accusation based on race, gender or religion. Cuomo said during a press briefing that the bill is part of a multi-pronged push to change police tactics in New York. “We’ve seen 911 calls which are race-based, false calls. A false 911 call based on race should be classified as a hate crime in the state of New York,” Cuomo said.

Under Ortiz’s bill, violators could face between 1 and 5 years in prison, which is in accordance to the state’s hate crime statute “if the motivation for reporting such crime is motivated by a perception or belief about their race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation.”

Christian Cooper was birdwatching last month when he asked Amy Cooper to put her dog on a leash because it is against the rules in the Ramble, a secluded section of Central Park popular with birdwatchers, for dogs to be off leash. Amy Cooper called 911 when there wasn’t any emergency and basically lied on this black man. She has become known as “Central Park Karen”

A New York City woman has lost her job after a video of her racially-charged confrontation with a black man went viral. The man was birdwatching in Central Park and recorded the encounter.

As @MolaReports, state lawmakers now want to make calls like that a possible hate crime. pic.twitter.com/a5ZvwVAxM6

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) May 27, 2020