A bitter battle between tenants in a Fifth Avenue apartment building and supporters of two red-tailed hawks who were left homeless when their nest was taken down last week has taken an odd broadcast-industry turn.
Lincoln Karim, 43, an advocate for the hawks, was arrested by New York City police after harassing CNN anchor Paula Zahn, who lives in the building with her husband and two young sons.
Karim is a video engineer who works for the Associated Press Television News organization.
At the time of the arrest by plainclothes policemen and the alleged harassment he was not working for APTV. He was charged with multiple counts of aggravated harassment and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Karim was ordered to stay 1,000 feet away from the home of the CNN anchor. He was then released on his own recognizance by Criminal Court Judge Larry R.C. Stephen. According to AP, a criminal complaint stated that Karim reduced Zahn's 7-year-old son, Austin, to tears by screaming at the boy, "House of shame! Bring back the nest!" The incident occurred on the evening of Dec. 9, two days after the nest was torn down.
The AP also reported that his lawyer, Dino Lombardi, said after the bail hearing that his client was only "exercising his right of vigorous free speech on an issue of public controversy." He is due back in court Jan. 26.
