In the wake of a viral video that has been viewed tens of millions of times, a pregnant woman was accused of taking a bike from a young black man and widely labeled as a "Karen" on social media. A few young black men surrounded her and claimed that she was trying to steal one of their rental bikes. The visibly distressed woman in hospital-branded scrubs pleaded for help as she grapples with the bike. As the dispute escalates, she asserts that the physical contact is harming her baby, to which the man responds, "I'm not touching you! You’re putting your stomach on my hand." Eventually, another hospital worker intervenes, prompting her to rent another bike. The accusations of white supremacy came pouring out on social media. It turns out the white woman was the victim all along.

Pregnant Nurse Accused of White Supremacy Actually Bought the Bike That Young Black Men Were Trying to Steal from Her

Justin Marino, attorney for a Manhattan hospital worker, offers a fresh perspective on the contentious incident involving a Citi Bike. The woman is a six-months-pregnant physician assistant at Bellevue Hospital. Marino argues that his client was the initial renter of the bike at the heart of the controversy, producing receipts as evidence.

Two Citi Bike receipts from May 12 were provided by Marino, showing transactions occurring within mere minutes of each other. The first receipt, according to Marino, corresponds to the bike seen in the viral video, which was taken out and then promptly returned to its docking station. The second receipt, he claimed, was for another bike rented from the same station that his client eventually used to go home after a heated confrontation with a group of individuals.

The incident unfolded after the hospital employee, who had just finished her 12-hour shift, paid for an available bike through the Citi Bike app. As she began to move the bike, she was confronted by a group claiming the bike was theirs. Marino said that the group physically forced the bike, with her still on it, back into the dock. One individual reportedly obscured the bike's QR code, preventing her from renting it again, with his arm touching her pregnant stomach despite her objections.

When the video went viral, people started referencing an infamous incident in 2020 in Central Park, New York City, which ignited a fierce debate on racial bias and the weaponization of "white privilege." Amy Cooper, a white woman, was walking her unleashed dog in an area of the park known as the Ramble, where leashing is mandatory to protect local wildlife. Christian Cooper (no relation to Amy), a black man and avid birdwatcher, requested that she leash her dog in accordance with the park's rules. Instead of complying, Amy responded with hostility, threatening to call the police and "tell them there's an African American man threatening my life."

Christian recorded the ensuing interaction, capturing Amy's exaggerated distress on a 911 call that falsely claimed she was being threatened. The video rapidly went viral, stirring national outrage over the blatant display of racial bias. Amy Cooper was swiftly fired from her job at Franklin Templeton and temporarily lost custody of her dog. The incident became a weapon for activists to claim there are pervasive issues of racism in society and the point to the misuse of emergency services as a means of exerting privilege. People called for there to be more dialogue and action against racial discrimination.

Naturally, it didn't take long for the pregnant hospital worker to be accused of white supremacy. Tariq Nasheed, a notorious race hustler who is known for accusing everything and everyone of racism, tweeted, "A suspected white supremacist woman tried to steal a Citi Bike from a Black kid after he paid for it, and when him and his friends wouldn't allow her to steal it, she went thru all the Karen tactics to try to get the Black youths hemmed up: *Screaming for help *Fake crying *Mayo Babbling."

Ben Crump, a lawyer and activist, also accused her of being a racist woman. "This is unacceptable! A white woman was caught on camera attempting to STEAL a Citi Bike from a young Black man in NYC. She grossly tried to weaponize her tears to paint this man as a threat. This is EXACTLY the type of behavior that has endangered so many Black men in the past!" he tweeted.

Twitter Community Notes added a disclaimer to these tweets: "In fact, the white woman paid for the bike. A group of black teenagers robbed her bike."

But neither of these men (nor any of the other race-hustling activists who shared similar messages) have retracted their statements. In fact, Nasheed doubled down and announced that he still believes her motives were white supremacist.

Marino spoke up for his client, describing her as a dedicated hospital worker who has served "thousands of New York City residents of all backgrounds/ethnicities.” He argued that her life is focused on helping others, regardless of their background. Following the incident, NYC Health + Hospitals placed the employee on leave, calling the video "disturbing" and pending a review of the incident.

As the debate continues, Marino's receipts offer a new dimension to the narrative, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of events before rushing to judgment. In a world where viral incidents can lead to swift consequences, this story underscores the importance of examining all available evidence.

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