Kids Attack Redheads on 'Kick a Ginger' Day

Facebook group, inspired by 'South Park,' told teens to kick peers

By Katherine Thompson, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 23, 2008 4:31 PM CST

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Kids Attack Redheads on 'Kick a Ginger' Day — In schools across Canada, redheaded kids found themselves the victims of a campaign of kicking that some law enforcement officials are calling a possible hate crime. (Flickr)

Inspired by a Facebook page, kids in Vancouver spent a day kicking and punching redheads for fun, the Vancouver Sun reports. Trouble is, being hit hurts. "I was amazed by the amount of people that kicked me," said 13-year-old Aaron Mishkin, who figures he was assaulted about 80 times. An online group promoting "Kick a Ginger" day started it all.

The group's 14-year-old creator, who based the page on a South Park episode, apologized and said it was intended as a joke. But after students went home with injuries and 20 kids were suspended at one middle school, the RCMP is investigating the group, saying it may have spurred a hate crime. "It's really unprecedented," one cyber-bullying expert said.
(Read more redhead stories.)

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