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Tune in to find out how racism cuts far deeper socially, politically and economically than just merely causing a rift between the members of our society.

Update on Amy Cooper’s false accusations saga

Early this year in May, on the same day George Floyd died, a video of Amy Cooper, calling the police and making false accusations against Christian Cooper (no relation) went viral. However, according to news reports, that 911 call was not the only false accusation Amy Cooper made against Christia
Cooper that day. After the incident in the video, prosecutors say Amy Cooper subsequently claimed in a call back call by a 911 dispatcher that Christian, a black male birdwatcher had “tried to assault her” in New York’s Central Park.

This detail emerged mid-October in court when the Manhattan DA filed a misdemeanour charge against Amy Cooper for falsely reporting an incident. Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance called Cooper’s complaints a “hoax” and noted it was very fortunate that “no one had been injured or killed in the police response” that day.

Amy Cooper’s case has been adjourned until 17 November to allow her lawyers and prosecutors try to come to an agreement. District attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon reportedly told the court that “using the police in a way that was both racially offensive and designed to intimidate is something that can’t be ignored” and that she hopes the resolution would require Cooper to “publicly take responsibility for her actions in court and attend a programme to educate her on how harmful they
were.”

Meanwhile, New York state lawmakers have passed a law that makes it easier under civil rights law to sue an individual who calls the police on someone “without reason” simply due to their background, including race and national origin.