A racist and threatening letter distributed to a home in Grandin has the community upset and rallying around a St. Albert family.
Katrina Anderson said her daughter found a letter in the family mailbox and was afraid to go outside and play because of the threatening tone and racially charged nature of the letter.
The letter, typed and distributed anonymously, complained about the children constantly rollerblading and scootering on their driveways and playing football and basketball in the middle of the road.
The anonymous writer said they will continue to file complaints to the condo management and “won’t stop until you’re gone.”
“We have been here for a very long time, we own our homes. You rent. Move out or things will escalate. Would not want to see the kids getting hurt. This isn’t a reserve. Go back to the reserve where Indians belong!” the letter read.
After Anderson’s mother posted the letter to Facebook, the St. Albert community mobilized to combat the hateful message. Members of the community said they were “fuming” at the “disgusting” person that wrote the letter.
One neighbour, Jarod Gannon, who is attached to the unit the family lives in, chimed in on the Grandin Facebook page to say they had never once had an issue with the children being rude or loud.
“This letter is just blatant racist bullshit. To the residents at 117, you can continue to live next to us anytime. To the author of this letter: go back to the 1820s where you belong,” Gannon said.
Other members of the Facebook group plan to organize a block party Wednesday night at 6 p.m. to show support for the family, who live in the Grandin Woods community.
Grandin resident Kris Wells started a letter- and card-writing initiative, inviting residents to send messages of love and support to the family.
St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron weighed in on Facebook, saying she is “a bit worked up” over the hateful letter and will be reaching out to the family.
“How can the sound of children playing offend anyone? We have concerns about our youth spending too much time in front of screens and here we have kids outside being active. (It's) great,” Heron said on Facebook.
Anderson said she took the letter to the RCMP to file a complaint.
