New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wants state lawmakers to pass a bill this week that would make it a hate crime when 911 callers make a false accusation based on race, gender or religion Deemed the “Amy Cooper” bill, the piece of legislation proposes that false accusers could face between one and five years in prison, according to the New York Post. Amy Cooper, aka “Central Park Karen,” is a white woman who called the cops on a black man because he asked her to put her dog on a leash, which was required at the park.
“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. Cuomo also had a list of law enforcement reform policies he’s supporting.
The bill was actually first introduced in 2018 and carried by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz of Brooklyn, but it was rejuvenated last month when the incident in Central Park went viral.
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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
“The bottom line is: We should be using better judgement. Racism gets created, and I think that by making false reporting because of gender or religion is completely unacceptable and intolerable,”Ortiz said.
Cuomo backed several additional measures in his legislative agenda, including a ban on chokehold usage by law enforcement and reforming the controversial 50-a section of the civil rights law allowing for transparency on prior disciplinary records of law enforcement officers.
Cuomo also wants to name the attorney general independent prosecutor for cases concerning deaths of unarmed civilians caused by law enforcement.
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