JOSH WINGROVE
Globe and Mail Update Published on Friday, Nov. 21, 2008 12:38AM EST Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 9:17PM EDT
What started as a few Facebook groups instead became a nationwide police effort Thursday, as officers responded to a national “Kick a Ginger Day” that targeted red haired children.
In Prince George, B.C., a “ginger” – a redhead – was kicked 18 times before being allowed to go home, RCMP said.
And in Comox Valley, B.C., 1,000 kilometres southwest, RCMP were investigating the young man who administered the biggest “Kick a Ginger Day” Facebook group, which drew some 4,800 members. Messages on the group throughout the day included both pledges to follow through on the day – which advocates exactly what its name suggests – as well as rebuttals from redheads concerned for their own safety.
The whole ordeal appears to be inspired by a recent episode of the popular animated TV show South Park. In the episode, the potty-mouthed character Cartman delivers a class presentation on “ginger kids.” The episode refers to redheaded people as “nasty” and “born with a disease.”
School board officials across the country were familiar with the day's planned purpose.
Newfoundland's largest school board warned its teachers about the day. Tony Stack, a principal for St. Peter's Junior High School in Mount Pearl, said a few parents contacted his school to warn him after stumbling upon the Facebook group pages.
In Flin Flon, Man., an elementary school principal said he met earlier this week with a mother concerned for the safety of her son after he came upon one of the Facebook group pages.
In Ottawa, mother Juanita McNairn said she let her 13-year-old son stay home because he was so afraid.
“My son was beside himself,” Ms. McNairn said. “He was delaying getting out of bed and when it came down to the crunch he just burst into tears and told me about the whole ginger thing.”
Rob Frenette, an anti-bullying advocate in New Brunswick, says he was shocked when he found out about the group.
“We are very taken back that students would pick a certain group of people to harass due to their hair colour,” he said.
With reports from CTV and The Canadian Press
Join the Discussion: