The Killer Clowns are back in Town

Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns. While some find the silly circus acts entertaining and funny, horror culture (namely Stephen King’s It) has demonized the characters, making many uncomfortable and fearful in their presence.

Few could forget the terrifying phenomenon of clown sightings that first swept our country in the fall of 2016. Videos and photos of eerily dressed clowns surfaced around the internet. The media blew up with scary footage that pictured clowns trespassing on property, simply standing about, and even wielding weapons. According to a recent article titled “Mysterious “killer” Clowns Reappear, this time with Knives”, published on September 20th, 2018, the first clown spotted was in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in August of 2016. The haunting photo of what is now known as “Gags the clown” was the first of many creepy images that struck fear in the hearts of American citizens.

The craze spread from there, with several reports being filed all around the country. An article from 2016, titled “The 2016 Clown Panic: 10 Questions asked and answered” laid out many of these sightings, from strang whispering clowns spotted in a North Carolina forest, to a prankster wearing a clown mask being stabbed to death in Pennsylvania.

As fall progresses in 2018, recent sightings have the public wondering if the craze is back. Though the clowns have only been spotted in Britain as of right now, many believe it’s only a matter of time before this scary trend infiltrates the U.S. yet again. A British news article titled Killer clowns could be back after new sightings in UK woods discusses the recent sighting. Two young boys were riding their bikes near woods in Kent, England (an outskirt of London) when a person in clown costume, who appeared to be carrying a knife, chased them shouting “run or die”. The boys’ parents contacted the police, but the person has not been found.

Should we be worried about the killer clowns? While the sightings are certainly creepy, there have been no reports of any actual harm being done by the clowns. Even so, law enforcement throughout the world are on the lookout for pranksters and crazies who find terrorizing the public in costume entertaining.