The story of a white woman in New York City who called police and falsely accused an African American man of threatening her has gone viral. Amy Cooper was walking her dog in an area of Central Park where leashes are required. Christian Cooper (no relation), an avid bird watcher who was in the park for that purpose, approached her and asked her to leash the dog. When she didn't, the situation escalated and led to the woman calling police and claiming the man was threatening her and her dog. Christian Cooper recorded a video of the incident. When police responded, both people had left and no charges were filed, but the video has been shared widely and sparked discussions of the history of black people being falsely reported to police.
This hour, our guests discuss that history, the impact of the incident in Central Park, and more. Our guests:
- Chris Thompson, writer, engineer, comedian, and activist
- Amanda Chestnut, local artist and educator