https://www.foxnews.com/media/attorney-nyc-hospital-worker-slams-mediaviral-bike-dispute-question-shes-been-defamed

Attorney for NYC hospital worker slams media after viral bike dispute: ‘Without question’ she’s been ‘defamed’

NYC Physician Assistant Sarah Comrie has been put on administrative leave over the incident

The attorney for the New York City hospital worker at the center of a viral bicycle dispute said his client is “in hiding” because her life and job are being threatened over the encounter.

Sarah Comrie, a Physician Assistant at Bellevue Hospital, was branded a racist “Karen” by media outlets and social media critics after she was seen arguing with a group of Black men who accused her of taking their rental bike in a iPhone video that’s gone viral.

Her attorney Justin Marino explained on “America’s Newsroom” Friday that the 6-month pregnant health care provider had just ended her 12-hour-shift and was trying to rent a bike to go home.

Marino said Comrie started to back off the docking station after paying for the bike on May 12 when the men confronted her claiming she was taking the bike they had already reserved.

“Around that time these individuals were claiming that that was their bike. Someone pushed the bike while she was on it, back into the docking station so it locked again,” he said.

Comrie claimed she had paid for that specific bike but after the argument put it back in the docking station and rented another one. Marino said he had two receipts that proved his client was telling the truth, with serial numbers that matched the bicycles in question.

He said Comrie sought an attorney because she was fearful she would lose her job over the encounter. After the video went viral and Comrie faced online accusations of racism, Bellevue Hospital put her on administrative leave pending a review of the situation.

Bellevue Hospital called the incident “disturbing,” and reaffirmed their commitment to “providing an environment” free from discrimination in a May 16 tweet.