Clowning Around
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In the run up to Halloween, a new fad has originated in America, and now it’s spread to Britain…
Jokers around the USA have been dressing up as distinctly creepy clowns (not the kind that squirt water at circuses) and attempting to scare passers-by by jumping out from the undergrowth – often holding a machete – and chasing their distressed victims down the street. Don’t get me wrong, a few tricks on Halloween can be a bit of a thrill, but this is a step too far. Apart from the fact that Halloween’s still three weeks away, surely only the most sadistic, easily amused pranksters who gain pleasure from terrifying small children would ever contemplate taking part in such tomfoolery.
Well, it looks like we’ve got a few idiots fitting that description up in Newcastle as a number of incidents involving rogue clowns have been reported in Newcastle and one in Chester-Le-Street. A 13-year-old boy armed with a knife was arrested in Blakelaw on Tuesday after pranking a number of schoolchildren and passers-by, leaving them distressed. This whole craze is beyond a joke – it’s not funny, not clever and even illegal. Scaring schoolchildren is not a reasonable excuse for carrying a knife…
Northumbria Police have posted on social media in relation to the issue:
Rumours are circulating on social media that pranksters will be targeting local schools in the coming weeks, potentially causing severe distress to students, and probably putting them off clowns for life. Jokers are even eyeing up the RVI hospital, and Northumbria Police have pledged to increase their street presence in affected areas.