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2016 clown sightings

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Evil clown costume

The2016 clown sightingswere a case ofmass hysteriafuelled by reports of people disguised asevil clownsin incongruous settings, such as near forests and schools. The incidents were reported in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and subsequently in other countries and territories starting during August 2016.[1][2][3][4][5]The sightings were first reported inGreen Bay, Wisconsin,in what turned out to be a marketing stunt for a horror film.[6]The phenomenon later spread to many other cities in the U.S. By mid-October 2016, clown sightings and attacks had been reported in nearly allU.S. states,nine out of 13provinces and territories of Canada,and 18 other countries.

Prior to the spate of incidents in 2016, numerous sightings of people dressed as clowns in odd or incongruous settings have occurred throughout the world since 2013. The proliferation of videos and images of these precursor sightings spread through social media posts and viral sharing of the content.

Scope, timeline and effects of sightings[edit]

Precursor sightings[edit]

One possible precursor event was the 2013 sightings of a "creepy clown" inNorthampton,England. The Northampton clown sightings, which were in the town during September and October 2013, were the work of three local filmmakers: Alex Powell, Elliot Simpson, and Luke Ubanski.[7]The clown shared similar looks toPennywise the Dancing ClownfromStephen King's bookIt.The trio started aFacebookpage for the so-called "Northampton clown" and was using the appearances to drive traffic to the page.[7]

In March 2014, Matteo Moroni fromPerugia,owner of the YouTube channelDM Pranks,began dressing up as an evil clown and terrifying unsuspecting passersby, with his videos racking up hundreds of millions of views.[8]A rash of sightings appeared inCalifornia,USA in October 2014, which centered upon the "Wasco clown", and primarily occurred in theWasco, California,area with photos appearing on social media.[9]

A segment called "Why Are Clowns Scary?" was part of the 2014 documentaryKiller Legends.The filmmakers traveled to Chicago to explore the previous clown panics that swept the city in 1991 and again in 2008, linking them to serial killerJohn Wayne Gacy,and the Stranger Danger panic. It was around this time in 2014 that some of the first clown sightings appeared in the U.S., including early sightings in Staten Island, New York.[10]

A person in clown attire was spotted in a cemetery inChicagoin July 2015. This occurrence involved two residents who spotted the "creepy clown" scaling the gate at theRosehill Cemeterylate at night. After the clown entered the cemetery, they turned to face the residents and began waving slowly as they made a video recording. After waving for a few seconds, the clown ran into a dark wooded area and was not seen again. Police investigation of the sighting did not lead to any arrests.[11]

2016 sightings and effects[edit]

In early August 2016, the clown phenomenon began inGreen Bay, Wisconsinand according toThe New York Times,reports began to surface of clown sightings inGreenville County, South Carolinain late August.[12]In Greenville County, it was rumored that clowns were attempting to lure children into the woods with money or loitering around.[12]Similarly, a clown was sighted inWinston-Salem, North Carolinaoffering treats to children; the clown fled when police arrived.[13]Five pictures of a creepy clown roaming a vacant parking lot under a bridge in Downtown Green Bay at night started going viral on 1 August 2016.[14]A Facebook page was created shortly after, claiming that the clown was named "Gags". In the days that followed, the pictures were discussed on numerous news outlets includingFox News,andUSA Today.Suspicions of the character being related to a horror film were confirmed when a Wisconsin filmmaker announced the pictures were a marketing stunt for a then-unreleased short film titledGags.A feature film was produced based on the short film and premiered in 2018,[15]with the film having a limited theatre run and released on VOD platforms in September 2019.[16]

After the Wisconsin incident, numerous other incidents started popping up across the United States at the end of August 2016. In early October 2016, further incidents were reported in Canada and the first occurrences in the United Kingdom and Australia. British communities were described as "horrified" and pressure had been placed on police resources.[17]

According toThe New York Times,the clown sightings resulted in at least 12 arrests across the United States and one death. InReading, Pennsylvania,a 16-year-old boy was fatally stabbed during an incident that could have been provoked by a prowler wearing a clown mask. The charges related to the sightings included making false reports, threats, and chasing people.[12]

Throughout this time, internet social media sites received numerous postings related to the phenomenon. TheWorld Clown Associationpresident Randy Christensen took a stance against the trend of people dressing up as clowns to frighten people.[18]Circuses[19]and other clown-related businesses were affected.[20]In October 2016,McDonald'sdecided thatRonald McDonaldwould keep a lower profile as a result of the incidents.[21]A sociologist has called 2016 "a bad time to be a professional clown".[22]The killer clown craze was linked to a significant increase in sales of clown suits in and nearGlasgow,Scotland.[23]During Halloween, some Floridians decided to go armed while trick-or-treating.[24]

Warnings[edit]

On 12 October, theRussian Embassy in Londonissued a warning to Russian and British citizens because of the clown scare.[25]

On 13 October, Fi gian police warned people against involvement in the events.[26]

Clown costume withdrawals and bans[edit]

Several New Zealand shops withdrew clown costumes from their shelves.[27]In the United States, theEast Side Union High School District,theWest Milfordschool district, Ohio school district, and Springboro Community Schools[28]issued a blanket ban on all clown costumes and clown masks in addition to previously existing policies and restrictions.Targetpulled clown masks from its website and stores as a result of the scare,[29][30][31]as didCanadian Tire.The village ofMemramcook, New Brunswickasked residents not to dress up as clowns on Halloween.[32]Employees of theme parks were instructed to remove any horror costumes and make-up before leaving work.[33]

Threatened "clown purge" and aftermath[edit]

By 25 October 2016, several news outlets reported on an alleged clown-initiated "purge" or "attack", which supposedly was to take place on Halloween Eve of 2016.[34][35][36]While there were no widespread "purge" attacks as threatened, a family from Florida was attacked on 31 October 2016, by a group of approximately 20 people in clown masks (and masks styled afterThe Purgemovie). No arrests were made.[37][38]

Hunts[edit]

Students atPennsylvania State UniversityandMichigan State Universitywere involved in mobs that searched for clowns on campus after reported sightings.[39]Campgrounds floated with rumors of clown attacks.[40]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Creepy clown sightings reported in more communities in South Carolina".WJW (TV).2 September 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 16 July 2020.Retrieved3 September2016.
  2. ^Rogers, Katie (30 August 2016)."Creepy Clown Sightings in South Carolina Cause a Frenzy".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved3 September2016.
  3. ^McGurty, Frank; Prentice, Chris (3 September 2016)."Clown sightings spook South Carolina, perplex police".Yahoo!.Reuters.Archivedfrom the original on 15 August 2020.Retrieved3 September2016.
  4. ^Harris, Chris."South Carolina Police Chief to Creepy Clowns: 'The Clowning Around Needs to Stop'".People.Archivedfrom the original on 7 December 2020.Retrieved3 September2016.
  5. ^Zuppello, Suzanne (30 September 2016)."'Killer Clowns': Inside the Terrifying Hoax Sweeping America ".Rolling Stone.Archivedfrom the original on 1 December 2020.Retrieved23 August2017.
  6. ^"Green Bay's creepy clown was marketing ploy".Green Bay Press-Gazette.Retrieved15 June2023.
  7. ^abSimpson, Connor."Northampton Solves the Mystery of The Creepy Clown".The Atlantic.Archivedfrom the original on 12 November 2020.Retrieved21 October2016.
  8. ^"Why I am a 'killer clown'".BBC. 25 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved21 June2018.
  9. ^"Mysterious Clowns Terrorizing California City".ABC News.13 October 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 12 November 2020.Retrieved21 October2016.
  10. ^"The great clown panic of 2016 is a hoax. But the terrifying side of clowns is real".12 October 2016.
  11. ^Reporter, David Moye; Post, The Huffington (24 July 2015)."Creepy Clown Menaces Chicago Cemetery".HuffPost.Archivedfrom the original on 11 May 2019.Retrieved21 October2016.
  12. ^abcMele, Christopher (29 September 2016)."Creepy Clown Hoaxes Lead to 12 Arrests in Multiple States".The New York Times.Retrieved20 February2023.
  13. ^Mele, Christopher (7 September 2016)."Creepy Clown Reports Continue, and Clowns Are Not Happy".The New York Times.Retrieved20 February2023.
  14. ^May, Ashley (4 August 2016)."Creepy clown with black balloons wandering Wisconsin".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on 6 December 2020.Retrieved12 October2016.
  15. ^"Gags the Clown (2018)".imdb.Internet Movie Database.Retrieved11 January2023.
  16. ^Miska, Brad (3 September 2019)."Bloody Disgusting Presents: 'Gags the Clown' Has Come to Town on VOD Platforms!".bloody-disgusting.Bloody Disgusting.Retrieved9 February2023.
  17. ^""Killer clown" craze hits Perth as masked man bursts from trees to terrify walker ".The Courier.13 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 24 November 2020.Retrieved14 October2016.
  18. ^"Clown president: 'We don't want to scare people'".New Zealand Herald.10 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 9 August 2020.Retrieved10 October2016.
  19. ^"Circus clown: Stop giving us a bad name".stuff.co.nz.11 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 3 July 2020.Retrieved11 October2016.
  20. ^Brown, Vanessa (11 October 2016)."How the creepy clown craze is killing the entertainment profession".New Zealand Herald.Archivedfrom the original on 7 July 2020.Retrieved12 October2016.
  21. ^"McDonald's: Ronald McDonald keeping a lower profile".New Zealand Herald.12 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2020.Retrieved11 October2016.
  22. ^Greig, Patricia."Clown craze: It's going to peak, it's going to be here in New Zealand".NZ Herald.Archivedfrom the original on 7 July 2020.Retrieved13 October2016.
  23. ^Fancy dress shop say their costume was used in 'killer clown' prankArchived28 October 2020 at theWayback MachineRetrieved October 2016
  24. ^Moran, Lee (31 October 2016)."Creepy Clown Threat Prompts Spooked Floridians To Trick-Or-Treat While Armed".The Huffington Post.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved1 November2016.
  25. ^"Russian Embassy warns citizens about British 'clowns'... while locked in Syria stand-off with Boris Johnson".Mirror.co.uk.12 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 10 June 2020.Retrieved5 April2018.
  26. ^"Police Warn Against Clowns Movement".Fiji Sun Online.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved14 October2016.
  27. ^"Halloween clown outfits pulled from Kiwi hire shop shelves".15 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 20 June 2020.Retrieved21 October2016– via New Zealand Herald.
  28. ^"Local elementary school banning clown costumes, masks".WHIO-TV.18 October 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 20 October 2016.Retrieved13 March2022.
  29. ^Pheifer, Pat (16 October 2016)."Target pulls clown masks from stores and website due to 'crazy clown' scares".Star Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on 8 July 2020.Retrieved17 October2016.
  30. ^Walters, Joanna (16 October 2016)."Clown sightings: hysteria in the US reaches a fever pitch".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved13 December2016.
  31. ^Wang, Amy B. (17 October 2016)."Target halts clown-mask sales amid creepy-clown hysteria".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved16 April2020.
  32. ^MacInnis, Jonathan (28 October 2016)."No laughing matter: N.B. village asks residents to ditch the clown costumes this Halloween".CTV News Atlantic.Archivedfrom the original on 3 July 2020.Retrieved29 October2016.
  33. ^"Theme park staff told to take off clown costumes".The Times.17 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 3 July 2020.Retrieved12 November2016.
  34. ^Rogers, Eryn (25 October 2016)."Clown purge rumor targets Greenville".wspa.Archivedfrom the original on 27 November 2020.Retrieved25 October2016.
  35. ^"Killer Clown Purge 2016: Where & When Will The Clowns Attack?".morningledger.25 October 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 26 October 2016.Retrieved25 October2016.
  36. ^"Map of Killer Clowns Purge 2016: Which States Will Be Attacked?".26 October 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 30 October 2016.Retrieved1 November2016.
  37. ^EndPlay (1 November 2016)."Victim recognizes teen during brutal attack by 20 people in 'The Purge,' clown masks".Archived fromthe originalon 2 November 2016.Retrieved1 November2016.
  38. ^Ober, Amanda (1 November 2016)."Man says he was random target of masked Halloween mob attack in East Orange County".Archivedfrom the original on 13 November 2020.Retrieved3 November2016.
  39. ^Hoyt, James (13 October 2016)."Creepy clown sightings college campuses".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on 29 November 2020.Retrieved4 May2022.
  40. ^Unknown, Unknown (6 October 2016)."Man near garden of the gods attacked by assailant in clown mask".Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved21 November2020.
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