Posters go up supporting boys in Rehtaeh Parsons case - Nova Scotia - CBC News
Friends, family and supporters of the four boys allegedly involved in the Rehtaeh Parsons case have taken their voice to the streets of Halifax.
Bright, multi-coloured posters saying, “Speak the truth. There’s two sides to every story. Listen before you judge. The truth will come out. Stay strong and support the boys,”
have gone up in neighbourhoods around Halifax, including in the area around Rehtaeh’s mother's house.
Jason Barnes, Rehtaeh’s stepfather, said he first noticed the posters in his neighbourhood Wednesday morning, stapled to telephone poles on his street.
By the time Barnes returned home from driving his other children to school, someone had torn the posters down and thrown them in the garbage.
Leah Parsons, Rehtaeh’s mother, fired back at the posters on the Facebook page she set up to honour her daughter's memory.
“This is our street, we are mourning our daughter, my children live in this neighbourhood. If you wanted to speak the truth ... why didn't you speak when Rehtaeh was alive ... you push her to suicide then you continue with this bull****!!! Really???? You have no compassion ... but we knew that already,” Parsons wrote.
Barnes said this was extremely upsetting to the family. He said they called police to complain but they told him there was nothing they could do.
Halifax RCMP Cpl. Scott MacRae said putting up posters such as these may be disrespectful, but it’s not a criminal offence.
Facebook group supporting boys removed
A Facebook group set up in support of the boys accused of sexual assault was shut down on Monday after police raised concerns.
The Facebook group was called Speak the Truth. On the page, friends and family posted messages of support for the teenagers saying what happened that night was consensual.