A viral video has appeared of a “Karen in the wild” demanding the credentials of, apparently, an employee on the job, saying she is “protecting the DMV.”
“I never thought this would happen to me,” says the employee filming the woman. “Some random lady just came and asked for my identification, and my credentials, while I’m at work.”
After the concerned woman claims to be protecting the DMV, citing his supposedly unprofessional behavior, she tells the man, “I’m married to a cop.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” he laughs. “You’re making a fool of yourself, ma’am. Carry on.”
The video went viral on Reddit this week, gaining traction in multiple forums. It’s unclear when and where the altercation took place. The “Karen” viral phenomenon—where encounters with often-entitled, sometimes-racist white women are filmed and go viral online—has been criticized for normalizing or sanitizing racist abuse.
However, it could have been worse for the employee. His “Karen” altercation is many steps below the “DMV Karen” who entered a Cleveland-area DMV with her boyfriend, purposefully causing trouble by not wearing a mask.
It was quickly found that this woman, Trump supporter Anna Peric, has a sorted history of harassing various businesses by entering unmasked and videotaping encounters, most notably at an antique store and Planet Fitness.
