A New York City hospital worker has been placed on leave following a controversial incident involving a rented Citi Bike.
The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, has sparked a heated debate over white privilege and racial bias.
The woman seen in the video, who was wearing hospital scrubs, claims that she had the right to use the bike and has produced receipts as evidence.
However, more than 40 million people have viewed the video, which shows a confrontation between the woman and a group of young black men who also claim the right to use the bike.
The situation quickly escalated and became out of control, with an attorney representing the woman stating that the story has been wrongly portrayed.
The video begins with the woman shouting for help, stating that she had just finished her shift at a nearby hospital and intended to ride the Citi Bike home.
One of the young men in the video insists that the bike belongs to him and tells the woman to back off.
The woman then grabs the man’s phone, and a struggle ensues when he tries to retrieve it.
The woman mentions her pregnancy during the altercation.
As the intense exchange continues, another man suggests that the woman use a different bike, to which she agrees.
The woman has faced criticism online, and the hospital where she works released a statement describing the video as disturbing and confirming that she has been placed on leave.
The woman’s attorney claims that the receipts prove she paid for the bike first and asserts that she was already on the bike when the group of young men approached, claiming it as their own.
The attorney further states that the woman ran to another bike, which she rode, emphasizing her innocence in the incident.
The woman’s attorney also mentions that she is six months pregnant.
Meanwhile, family members have initiated a GoFundMe campaign to support her legal expenses, as she potentially faces the risk of losing her job.
They assert that she is not a racist but a victim of circumstances.
As of now, there has been no response from the young men seen in the video regarding their plans to dispute the claims made by the woman’s attorney, Kelly.
