After several complaints from homeowners, city officials were compelled to remove a Halloween display that was “Karen themed.”
A local historical organization posted a photo of a scarecrow wearing a straw hat and a T-shirt that reads, “Can I speak to the manager?” as well as a name tag that says Karen.
An internet meme named “Karen” developed to be used to refer disparagingly to women who are inclined to moan about topics that are ordinarily seen as inconsequential.
According to a press release from the US city of Prosser, Washington, the city has withdrawn its entry into the Historic Downtown Prosser decoration competition and removed the Halloween display from City Hall.
The exhibit was set up as a part of the yearly decorating competition for Historic Downtown Prosser.
Friends of Downtown Prosser, a campaigning group, alleges that one of their leaders was the target of the exhibit.
A group spokesperson stated in an email to the newspaper that the correspondence was in response to the group’s continued opposition to a planned $16.8 million (£15 million) contract to replace Prosser City Hall and the police station.
“This past weekend, City Hall entered an annual Halloween decorating contest with a ghoulish scarecrow dressed up to look like me. Several people who understood the context behind the display immediately complained to the city. Prosser City Hall engaged in targeted, public harassment of a private Prosser citizen on public grounds.They created a grotesque effigy to publicly humiliate a city resident as retaliation for opposing a city bond proposal on the upcoming ballot.”
The city has denied that anyone was targeted by the display.
