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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Creepy Clowns

185 replies

MyPeriodFeatures · 10/10/2016 22:27

I am genuinely worried about these people dressing up as clowns and think something nasty might happen.

Is it just me?

OP posts:
pregnantat50 · 11/10/2016 15:07

Key

  1. Newcastle : A teenager dressed as 'creepy clown' arrested for allegedly carrying blade and terrorising children on 30 September.
  1. Newcastle : A girl was terrified when chased by prankster on 4 October.
  1. Caernarfon : A school boy films a creepy clown hanging around near kids' play centre in the dead of the night, 5 October.
  1. Manchester : A clown in blood-spattered poncho was spotted on 6 October.
  1. Sheffield : Another creepy clown sighted on a shop mobility scooter, 6 October.
  1. Liverpool : A number of creepy clowns threaten to loiter outside school 7 October.
  1. Chester-le-street, Co. Durham : A man with a knife in clown attire jumps out at kids, 7 October.

There have been other sightings reported in Sudbury, Clacton and Leeds.

Creepy Clowns
HappyAxolotl · 11/10/2016 19:34

As per usual, the media is stirring up the hysteria with their Killer Clowns scaremongering. Scary as the clowns may be, there's no evidence of them hurting anyone let alone being murderers. Not that their behaviour is nice. Harassing schoolkids, chasing people and carrying knives - or fake blades that look real enough to cause fear - isn't on. And surely the knives part is illegal?

It must be horrible to come across one of these clowns, but they seem to be saddos who get their thrills seeing bricks shat rather than anything more sinister. I just don't feel that hyping them up as killers is helping anyone. It's scaring people, including children who will take the killer part literally. The clowns are getting the attention they want and will ramp up the behaviour to keep the attention coming. Frankly I can see a bad ending involving a vigilante mob.

OutDamnedWind · 11/10/2016 19:42

It does make you want to just bash everyone's heads together and tell them to pull themselves together.

Thecatsmum · 11/10/2016 20:28

Number 1 in Pregnants list was a 13 year old boy with a plastic knife, my kids know the idiot, I believe he was given a good talking to by the police. It's being reported in a very dramatic manner, the media have a lot to answer for with this silliness.

Alibobbob · 11/10/2016 21:10

Capricorn12 you made me lol

M kids 7 & 11 are absolutely terrified. We decided today we wouldn't go trick or treating because of this.

dementedma · 11/10/2016 21:18

Don't think it's reached Scotland yet,thankfully. Haven't seen any evidence of it up here.

OliveBranchCollins · 11/10/2016 21:33

A man dressed as a clown was arrested outside a school in Caldicot today.

WorraLiberty · 11/10/2016 21:33

There was apparently one near my local primary school at 8.20 this morning - spotted by 2 senior school kids.

I'm not entirely convinced though. Part of me thinks some people (obviously not all) are making it up, to 'get in on the craze' IYSWIM.

It was a mega busy school run time for 2 huge primary schools and 2 even bigger senior schools, yet only the two kids who dialled 101 apparently saw it.

HappyAxolotl · 11/10/2016 21:42

I'm not entirely convinced though. Part of me thinks some people (obviously not all) are making it up, to 'get in on the craze' IYSWIM.

I bet. Copy-clowns, people making up sightings, clowns trying to top each other's silliness... every attention-seeking idiot will be on this.

HobnailsandTaffeta · 11/10/2016 22:21

DM just reported a woman going into premature labour after a clown jumped out at her.

That a young lad pretending to be a clown has an injured wrist from a car hitting him (no doubt driving away).

That one in Wales had been caught and fined outside a school.

And a video of one getting punched in the face which was vaguely satisfying after the video showed him causing two cars to screech off after being chased. They are going to get someone run over.

It's just not even that original or funny now. Fucking YouTube "fame" Hmm

DramaInPyjamas · 11/10/2016 22:29

A English premiership footballers son has been threatened with expulsion from his school for being responsible for the closing down of 8 other schools because of clown threats he was making online.

honeyroar · 11/10/2016 22:39

I think more people are worrying about it when it's just being hyped up by the media. I've just read this six page thread, and hardly anyone has first hand experience of one. So don't panic! And if you were to see one, get angry. If they're outside your window throw a jug of water on them. If you felt like it, carry some squirts cream and give them a custard pie. Shout at them. Tell them their nose had slipped and they look stupid. Just don't give them the reaction they want. It will soon get boring. Just remember it's a moron dressed up, that's all. TBH I think I'd be more worried if I saw someone dressed normally peering in my house or jumping out on me.

Usernameinvalid16 · 11/10/2016 22:59

dementedma apparantly there was 2 in the towns near us but i'm not sure its true (facebook) we are in central scotland. I think there was 1 in edinburgh, a few sightings in ayrshire (my sister lives there and hasn't seen anything)
It might be a hoax but its a bit scary just thinking about it.

paddypants13 · 11/10/2016 23:12

There were some reported in a town not too far from me (in Northallerton) by local news. I was shocked, it's a small town in the middle of nowhere.

Some of them were running in front of cars. Honestly, if they did it to me I'm not sure I'd break. Dh certainly wouldn't.

ALaughAMinute · 11/10/2016 23:36

I think the world has gone mad. I was looking on POF today (a dating website) and there was a guy on there dressed as a clown. WTF?

There was also a clown sighting reported in the local paper very close to where I live.

I don't normally minds clowns but I am finding all of this a bit creepy!

OutDamnedWind · 11/10/2016 23:41

It's daft isn't it? You know it's only 13 year olds people dressed up, but it does still have that creepy quality to it. But then so would someone jumping out at you dressed as the Easter bunny.

Akire · 11/10/2016 23:51

No one been hurt yet have they? I mean if intention was to hurt people then people would been stabbed/hit all over place. I mean I'd jump but given its just meant to get a reaction think screaming and running off would just make it worse.

I mean by all means get out way in normal fashion but are they really going kill you because you don't?

I have Disabilites so can't actual scream or remotely get out way fast in wheelchair so maybe it's clouding my judgments!

SallyR0se · 12/10/2016 00:02

A bunch of them went into a secondary school in Dublin & caused havoc. They claimed to be promoting a local Halloween event, but they were carrying a very convincing chainsaw replica. Apparently the kids were terrified. The law got involved & the school is absolutely raging.

SallyR0se · 12/10/2016 00:03

I mean school is raging at the clowns, not the cops!

Bulbasaur · 12/10/2016 00:08

I could easily see college kids doing this as a prank. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it.

I'm debating dressing up as one to answer the door for Halloween trick or treaters

giraffesCantReachTheirToes · 12/10/2016 00:12

Poor kids who are frightened

Cakedoesntjudge · 12/10/2016 00:44

Someone has already punched one seen local to me (story linked above by a PP) and a colleague walking home got freaked out when he passed one just sat on a bench earlier.

I must say, I'm not usually bothered by clowns but as someone who lives alone in an area considered to be not so nice it has freaked me out a bit. I've been off work ill and I haven't opened my curtains or blinds today after I read last night about the ones at the window - I'd love to think I could be that calm but I'd lose it I think Blush

As a PP said, what concerns me is that someone genuinely dangerous will jump on the bandwagon and do something awful.

It is a particularly dickish craze but I do think the media and social media users are not helping by exaggerating it so much/posting with faked incidents.

number277 · 12/10/2016 00:48

I hate, hate the bloody things. It's childhood related but still I'm petrified of the bloody things

RockinHippy · 12/10/2016 08:02

Someone has already punched one seen local to me

An old friend of mine punched one & knocked it out for a few seconds when it jumped out on him. Friend is a big powerful man, but has been unwell & still suffers PTSD after been jumped & beaten within an inch if his life when he was younger. Its really shaken him up

ohtheholidays · 12/10/2016 08:12

Stephen King himself has spoken out against what these idiots are doing!

I'm really pissed of about it,it's got lots of children worrying and that's not on.
They're bloody cowards the lot of them targeting children,the elderly and women I hope loads of them do end up getting a hiding they're doing something negative that's affecting tons of people in a negative way so as far as I'm concerned if they get hurt it's Karma!