Bishop McNally students allege truck tried to hit them during anti-racism walkout
Calgary police open investigation into Thursday's incident
The Calgary Police Service is investigating after reports of a truck attempting to drive into a group of Bishop McNally students participating in an anti-racism walkout on Thursday.
Police say it's believed the incident occurred between 11 a.m. and noon at the intersection of Falconridge Boulevard N.E. and Falconridge Drive as the students were returning to school.
"We'd still like to hear from anyone else who has witnessed it or was involved. If anyone has video or if any of the businesses in the area have CCTV, we'd obviously like to see any of that," said police spokesperson Corwin Odland, adding that some student statements have been collected.
Police are also looking to speak with the person driving the truck.
"If they see this and have something to say, we'd absolutely like to hear from them," he said.
Marion Ashton with the Sankofa Art and Music Foundation helped the McNally students organize the walkout and has been asked to speak on behalf of the students involved.
She said the kids were walking on the sidewalk and the street in the area as a part of their anti-racism protest when the red truck showed up.
"It pulled up to them and hurled some very nasty language at them, and attempted to run them over," she said. "These thing happen so quickly because you don't expect them. You don't prepare for someone to try to kill children."
Here’s what the students from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BishopMcNally?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BishopMcNally</a> told me about their anti-racism walkout today. The demonstration was planned after 2 recordings of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CCSD?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CCSD</a> staff using the N-word began circulating online. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbEd?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbEd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ccsd?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ccsd</a> <a href="https://t.co/fEv1sOR6Wh">pic.twitter.com/fEv1sOR6Wh</a>
—@LucieEdwardsonAshton said none of the students were injured.
"The kids were able to get themselves and their colleagues out of the way to avoid being hit by the car," she said. "The police have taken this very, very seriously, and as far as we are aware, they are utilizing all of their resources in finding who this person is, the driver and the owner of this vehicle."
According to Ashton, a video circulating online that shows the students kicking a red truck only shows the students reacting to being threatened.
"That was absolutely a reaction," she said. "Because somebody just tried to run them over while using hate speech. The kids have done absolutely nothing wrong, and rest assured that they are not in any trouble whatsoever."
Ashton said the students are also handing over multiple videos of the incident to police that show what happened from multiple angles.
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