A viral confrontation at a public park in Sarasota, Florida, has sparked nationwide attention after a pregnant mother reported being berated by two women over a snack bag placed on a memorial bench.
The incident occurred Friday at Bayfront Park when Linsey Karayou said she was sitting on a bench waiting for her son, who had gone to the restroom. According to Karayou, her son left his snack bag beside the bench—a decision that prompted an unexpected and intense dispute with two women who claimed to have a personal connection to the bench.
Video clips that have since gained widespread traction on TikTok and other platforms appear to show the two women, now widely referred to online as “park bench Karens,” confronting Karayou and accusing her of “disrespecting” the bench. One of the women stated the bench had been donated in memory of her late sister.
Karayou, who is 12 weeks pregnant, told the Daily Mail that the women accused her of littering and demanded she remove her son’s snack bag. In one clip, a woman dressed in a blue and green tank top is heard saying, “I don’t want trash next to my sister’s f***ing bench,” before walking off with the child’s food in hand. Karayou is seen protesting, yelling, “Don’t throw that away!” as the woman leaves the frame.
The incident escalated further when the women began asking Karayou personal questions, including whether she had lost a sibling or a parent. In response, Karayou disclosed that both her parents had passed away and that she worked as a mortician, asserting that she did, in fact, understand grief.
According to Karayou, she began filming the interaction because she felt vulnerable, being alone and pregnant. She said she was surprised by the encounter and shaken by how aggressive the women became. The videos show Karayou seated on the bench, book in hand and shoes off, as one woman stands over her, continuing to challenge her presence at the site.
A second angle of the exchange captured another part of the argument, with one of the women attempting to explain the story behind the bench’s dedication. The same woman can be heard saying, “She will not stop just f***ing like making her mouth move,” in reference to Karayou.
Witnesses appear in the background of the videos, with multiple parkgoers seen observing the confrontation. The crowd reportedly gathered as the argument drew attention.
Online response has been swift and polarized. Some viewers expressed disbelief at the women’s behavior, with several comments questioning whether alcohol was involved. Others suggested that memorial plaques on public benches should not entitle anyone to dictate their use or harass fellow park visitors. Several users called for the plaque’s removal, suggesting it contributed to a false sense of authority over public property.
‘Karens’ have a meltdown on a pregnant woman who was “not respecting” their bench.
Imagine being married to this.
The incident unfolded at Bayfront Park in Sarasota, Florida.
The two women, who sounded drunk, were seen fuming as the woman refused to move an item that was… pic.twitter.com/uJP7QTgd7I
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 1, 2025
Karayou, in statements to the Daily Mail, emphasized how distressing the ordeal was for her and her family. She reported that her son, daughter, and husband arrived shortly after the women walked away and said one of the women had jabbed her in the arm before leaving.
As viral content continues to spotlight confrontations in everyday settings, this situation at Bayfront Park is one of many in recent months highlighting how tensions in public spaces can quickly escalate—and how quickly the public reacts when videos of these moments hit the internet.
