Police called on an 11-year-old child playing with a neon coloured Nerf gun in Ivan Forrest Gardens

Erin Horrocks-Pope Thursday, August 13, 2020

Ivan Forrest Gardens, 131 Glen Manor Drive.

Beaches-East York MPP Rima Berns-McGown took to Facebook today to ask locals for help putting an end to racism within communities.

Her call to action comes after she was contacted by a local mother after an encounter with police at a local park. The woman described to Berns-McGown that she had been sitting in Ivan Forrest Gardens, at the intersection of Glen Manor Drive and Queen Street East, watching her 11-year-old son and his friend play. "Suddenly, there were sirens," Berns-McGown wrote. "Multiple police cars rushing toward the park, and seven officers surrounding her and the kids."

Someone made a call to the police reporting a Black kid with what looked like a gun.

The responding officers quickly realized that there was no threat, it was just a child with a Nerf gun, playing in a park with his friend, supervised by his mother.

No physical harm was caused to the child but obvious trauma was caused to the mother and her child when he was referred to as a "suspect".

Berns-McGown was understandably frustrated and upset by learning of this incident and urges community members to take part in have open conversations with family, friends, and neighbours and take part in community conversations about creating a safe, anti-racist community for all who live in and visit it.

"We need a community that works for all of us who live here," she wrote. "Regardless of what neighbourhood we live in. This is a thing you can do, and you could be saving a life."

In response to this, a local mother has organized a Nerf Picnic for Friday, August 14, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in Ivan Forrest Gardens where the young boy was viewed as "suspect" for simply playing with his friend.

To check out event details via Facebook and RSVP click here.