Arrested after an anti-mask tirade in a grocery store, a literal 'Karen' pulls a Karen

An Ohio woman gave new meaning to the "Karen" stereotype last month when she refused to wear a mask inside a grocery store and launched into a tirade upon being confronted by police officers. According to WOIO, the woman — who is literally named Karen Turner — was arrested on January 18 at a Marc's grocery store in Brook Park for refusing to leave when employees pointed out that she was violating the store's mask policy by not wearing a face covering. Body camera footage released by the police shows the 55-year-old resisting and snapping at cops who arrived to escort her out of the store.

"So let me ask you this. Is it a law? What's a federal law that prevents me from wearing a face mask?" she asks one of the cops in the clip. Presumably, Turner meant to ask if there's a federal law that requires her to wear a face mask but mixed up her words while pointedly holding up her cellphone to record the encounter. When the officers attempt to calmly explain to her that it's not federal law but a state order, she replies: "OK, so you don't know the law!" and demands their badge numbers.

Turner refuses to cooperate even when the cops asked for her I.D., ultimately forcing the officers to escort her out of the store. The body camera footage shows her resisting the officers' grip on her arm and saying, "I can't wait to sue your ass." According to Cleveland.com, she also scratched the arms and hands of one officer when they tried to handcuff her. Turner repeatedly demands her cellphone and begins thrashing inside the police cruiser when one of the cops reached in to take her purse from her. "Illegal search! she yells, while the officer warns her: "If you kick me, you're gonna go to jail."

Court records filed with the Berea Municipal Court reportedly show that Turner pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, criminal trespassing, and failure to disclose information. She was released on a $5,000 bond pending another court appearance. Turner was in violation of a statewide mask order by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in July 2020 which requires all individuals to wear facial coverings at all times in public when social distancing is not possible. Meanwhile, many netizens found the irony of a woman named Karen living up to the stereotype quite amusing.

"We finally got a #Karen whose name is actually Karen. Thank you, Universe," tweeted @FisherTheMan. "Karen’s gonna Karen," wrote @chriscaepun1985. "She shouldn't have been arrested for not having a mask. Made to leave, yes. Escorted from [the] store, ok. Arrested, no. However, the resisting and failure to identify herself, she gets a ride in a cruiser," commented @EavanDeceased77. "Pff...way to contribute to the stereotype," tweeted @Erastothenes. "Obviously confused, she keeps repeating 'What is the law that prevents me from wearing a mask?' There is no law that prevents anyone from wearing a mask anywhere. You can wear one anytime you want," wrote @SamiaAliSalama.

The debate over wearing face masks has been going strong ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit the country last year. Despite all the science showing how face masks help prevent the spread of the virus, anti-maskers continue to refute the evidence and act against state orders.