Citi Bike Karen is firing back after going viral for trying to steal a bike rental from a young Black man.
On Thursday, her attorney released a statement claiming that the bike she was seen fighting over was actually rightfully her. Justin Marino alleges that the Citi Bike Karen, whose real name was not released, provided receipts showing that she paid for the bicycle. Marino says he examined the documents which prove that the Citi Bike ID number seen in the clip is the same one on Karen’s receipt. A second receipt is supposedly from the same docking station and shows another payment she made for a different bike after being “heckled and pressured” into allowing the man to take the bike. Video footage strongly contradicts these claims.
Multiple outlets have referred to the irate white woman as a nurse with NYC Health + Hospitals. Though the institution only referred to her as an “employee,” they have confirmed that they were investigating the incident. However, Marino says his client is being wrongfully depicted as a racist when instead, she is a victim. This is exactly how she sought to display herself by weaponizing her tears against the calm young man who was simply trying to retrieve his bike rental.
The lawyer even says the young man physically pushed her into the docking station, which caused the bicycle to re-lock in place. However, the entire ordeal was captured on cell phone footage, and not once did the man or his friends who were recording become aggressive with Citi Bike Karen or even raise their voices, for that matter.
Marino maintains that his client is innocent and is being unjustly accused of stealing a bike that was rightfully hers.
