A woman who was filmed calling police to say she was being 'threatened' by an 'African American man' after a birdwatcher asked her to put her dog on a lead has been fired from her job.
The mutual fund she worked for, Franklin Templeton made the news public, saying that the employer had made the decision to sack Amy Cooper after the video, filmed in Central Park, circulated on social media at the weekend.
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It read: "Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved, effective immediately. We do not tolerate racism of any kind at Franklin Templeton."
The woman apologised earlier via NBC, in the wake of viral footage that shows her calling police and claiming a black man was 'threatening' her life, after he told her to put her dog back on its leash - as per the park's rules.
Amy Cooper, 41, has said her actions were 'unacceptable'. She was filmed making an hysterical call to police after bird-watcher Christian Cooper, 57, saw her in the Ramble area of New York's Central Park and said her dog had to be on a leash in that area due to wildlife protection.
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In the clip Christian tells the woman, who is wearing a face mask, to stay back as she asks him to stop filming. She then says she will call the cops adding: "I'm going to tell them there's an African American threatening my life," to which he calmly responds: "Please tell them whatever you like."
The woman whips out her phone, calls the police and says: "I'm in the Ramble and an African American man with a bicycle helmet, he is recording me and threatening my dog."
As she talks the dog squirms and tries to get away. After a pause she repeats: "I'm am in Central Park, there is an African American man. He is recording me and threatening my dog."
Then she seems to become panicked and cries: "I'm sorry I can't hear. I'm being threatened by a man in the Ramble, please send the cops immediately... I'm in Central Park in the Ramble. I don't know."
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Since, the woman's dog, who can be seen struggling as she is on the phone, has been taken to an adoption centre.
Police confirm a call came in from the Ramble at around 8am but no reports were filed or arrests made. They say they responded to the call but neither Amy nor Christian were there when they arrived.
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