San Francisco cancels Karen - by blocking racially biased 911 calls
Racially-motivated 911 calls could be banned in San Francisco, where legislators have backed proposals dubbed the CAREN Act.
All 11 members on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors approved legislation banning racially-biased calls to 911 on Tuesday, CBS SF Bay Area reported, with a final vote due to take place next week on the “CAREN Act”.
Also known as the Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies Act, the proposals were introduced to the Board of Supervisors in July by Supervisor Shamann Walton.
The name is a nod to a widespread meme on the name “Karen”, which social media users use to describe white, middle-aged women, whose actions are deemed to be privileged.
Those behaviours include racially motivated calls to 911, as seen when Amy Cooper, a white New York woman, called police on a black bird watcher with claims he had assaulted her in March.
Under the CAREN Act, calls to 911 with the intent to discriminate over someone’s race, ethnicity, national origin, place of birth, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion is banned.
According to CBS, any victims of such calls will be allowed to sue the caller.
“Communities of color have the right to go about daily activities without being threatened by someone calling 911 on them due to someone’s racism,” said Ms Walton.
“Rather than calling the police or law enforcement on your neighbor or someone who you think doesn’t look like they should be your neighbor, try talking to them and getting to know them,” she added. “Let’s build relationships in our communities.”
The board will hold a second vote on Tuesday, from where it will be sent to San Francisco mayor London Breed to sign into law.
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