THEY’RE scary, they’re becoming ubiquitous and they are definitely no longer funny, according to the police.
The “killer clown” phenomenon sweeping across Scotland has now attracted the opprobrium of the national police force as people are being genuinely scared and precious resources are being wasted on inquiries into incidents.
A strongly worded statement from Police Scotland warning that they “will take action” against pranksters who intimidate the public has followed sightings of the so-called killer clowns in Dundee, Musselburgh, and Ayrshire plus a hoax sighting in Glasgow.
A serious incident in County Durham on Friday in which a “clown” wielding a knife frightened school children is believed to have alarmed police forces across the UK.
In a statement, Supt David Duncan of Police Scotland, said: “We have had a few sporadic reports of individuals dressed as clowns in some areas in Scotland.
“It is assessed that there is a current trend of similar incidents on social media, many of which have been confirmed as hoaxes and emanate from overseas.
“The reports which have been made to local police officers are being investigated and do not specifically involve threats or violence.
“However, any person seeking to cause distress and potential harm to anyone should be aware that police will take action.
“If anyone has any concerns they should report the matter to police.”
It is generally believed that the craze started as a college prank in the USA with students dressing up as clowns and jumping out at people in the streets. However the original “creepy clown” was the character Bob Gray or Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the Stephen King novel It, published in 1986, and played menacingly by Tim Curry in the 1990 television film adaptation. A new film based on the novel is currently in production.
In Northampton in 2013, a “creepy clown” using Pennywise’s “Beep Beep” catchphrase terrorised the city before he was unmasked as student Alex Powell. Since then, social media has spread the craze across America and it has become sinister, with the “clowns” said to be carrying knives.
In East Lothian last week, police received two separate reports of children being chased by “clowns” at Musselburgh Racecourse.
The most serious incident in the UK so far was in Chester-le-street in Durham on Friday when four children were terrorised by a knife-wielding “clown”.
The children, aged 11 and 12, were on their way to Hermitage Academy in Chester-Le-Street, when the man jumped out at them from a hiding place.
Local police issued a description of a man wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, red shoes, a multi-coloured top and a mask, as well as having his face painted.
Police Sergeant Mel Sutherland said: “The children arrived at school understandably upset and distressed by this incident and we are currently trying to locate this man.”
In Glasgow last week, a hoaxer admitted that a website “Killer Clowns in and around Glasgow” was faked with staged photographs, but not before 1,000 people on social media said the sightings were real.
In Scotland genuine clowns such as Celine Harland from Glasgow, known as Tickles the Clown, have had their careers disrupted.
She told STV: “A group I know have even changed their name from Clown Doctors to Giggle Doctors because of the stigma. Personally, the most rewarding part of my work is what I get to do in the children’s hospitals.I ’m not going to change what I do.
“After all we’re the people who love to make fun of ourselves and all we want is to make other people smile.”
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