St. Albert residents show support for family who received racist letter
An impromptu flash mob and a planned block party are just some of the ways St. Albert residents are showing support for a family of five who received a threatening racist letter this week.
St. Albert RCMP are investigating the letter, left in the mailbox of the home Katrina Anderson and her family rent in the Grandin Woods Estates condo complex.
"Move out or things will escalate," it said. "Would not want to see the kids getting hurt. This isn't a reserve. Go back to the reserve where Indians belong."
On Wednesday evening, after residents learned about the letter, dozens of supporters rallied outside the family's home.
Some played road hockey, while others played football in response to the letter that complained of kids playing sports in the street outside the family's home.
While Anderson and her family joined the gathering, a storage unit sat in their driveway. The family will be using it in their move to another home in St. Albert.
Calvin Heyden, president of the Grandin Woods Estates board, stopped in at the party before attending a board meeting. Board members met to discuss the letter and what other residents of the complex can do for the family.
"It's totally not acceptable. It's appalling. Personally, I think it's the work of a bully," Heyden said Thursday.
"They [the letter's author] don't have the support of the community here. It's somebody that has a grievance. We don't know what that grievance is. We're working with the RCMP right now. We'll do everything they request to find resolution in this matter."
Heyden said he met with Anderson and tried to convince the family to stay and not move to another neighbourhood, but he understands their safety is weighing heavily in that decision.
"We will do whatever we can to assist them, to try and let them know that the community won't go for this," he said. "It's not a community saying you have to move. It's a community saying we'd like you to stay."
A block party is being planned for Oct. 28 in support of the Anderson family. It's being organized by Marina Perilli, owner of Prairie Couture, a St. Albert clothing store.
"This is the city I was born and raised in. I've lived all over the world and I keep coming back to St. Albert," Perilli said.
"There's a reason for that, because we have an amazing community here.It's to bring the community together to show love and support for this family."
More than 1,000 people are interested and more local businesses plan to donate. The party was to be held in the parking lot for Prairie Couture but will now be moved to a larger space which has not been confirmed.
Travis.mcewan@cbc.ca
Travismcewancbc
