Police State for Kids: Cops Called to Resolve Dispute at Toddlers Birthday BashAmanda Warren UK kids like to have birthday parties at Rumble Tumble play center much like American kids at Chuck E. Cheese and other play stations. However, as Natasha Bent tried lighting her son Oscars candles in celebration of his third birthday, staff intervened. The Bent family were told to move to a segregated area due to health and safety regulations. Some liability and safety precautions might be understandable; however, the staff insisted on then supervising the festivities. After an argument, the family was banished to celebrate in the parking lot. The situation only escalated from there. After the party was interrupted twice, candles yet unlit, the police arrived on the scene of the parking party having been called by a Rumble Tumble staff member who felt threatened. Once stormed by police, the little ones started to cry and the party was effectively over. Would almost be darkly funny if it werent an actual storyabout police responding with seriousness to an alleged threatening situation surrounding candles on a birthday cake for a three year old. Michael Snyder of endoftheamericandream.comhas chronicled the growing absurdities of heavy crackdowns on children in the Land of the Free: Its sad that we have to constantly exercise the word No on every front, like the father who founded Lemonade Freedom Day his version of No to the squelching of childrens lemonade stands. Do stories like the candle catastrophe at Rumble Tumble occur because the employees feel powerless and are perhaps addicted to using their own threats to call referees with handcuffs? Is that mentality about trying to burn and stick it to anyone who challenges their authority? Oscars parents most likely paid a fee to use the facility and had every right to disagree toarbitraryterms of supervision, even if they did need to remain in the confines of the play centers rules for lighting candles in a designated area. But it is a birthday cake at a place known for hosting birthday parties lighting candles would seem to be a reasonable expectation. And do the cops actually enjoy settling unnecessary tiffs and smashing toddlers parties? What is motivating an increasing number of employees and school staff to cry bully and call the police over every little sniffle from parents and children alike?Whatever it is, it appears that Reason and Common Sense are truly dead. Are we ready to encourage the criminalization of children for behaving like children? Are we ready to resolve every dispute with the maximum show of force? Or is this something to be expected as the police state is fully embraced and permitted to trickle down to such ridiculous conclusions. Please leave your thoughts below. You can share this information by voting on Reddit HERE. 