NY ice cream shop owner first to be fined under ‘Karen’ law

The former owner of an ice cream shop is the first to be fined under a so-called “Karen” law, after calling the police on Black Lives Matter protesters under false threat allegations in June 2020.

David Elmendorf, who used to run Bumpy's Polar Freeze, in upstate New York, has been ordered to pay nine demonstrators $500 each, totalling $4,500.

Black Lives Matter activists showed up at Bumpy's Polar Freeze in Schenectady to peacefully protest after the owner allegedly sent racist text messages that were circulated on social media.

Mr Elmendorf reportedly falsely claimed, during a 911 call, that there were “20 armed protesters who were threatening to shoot him” at his store, according to the New York Post.

New York State Attorney General, Letitia James sued Mr Elmendorf under a new bill, signed into law in June 2020, designed to stop people from making false racially biased reports.