The Northampton Clown — AKA Alex Powell — made headlines for a series of creepy selfies taken around the English city of Northampton. Now, his notoriety has sparked a nationwide trend of copycat clown-pranksters who make mischief such as rapping on peoples' windows while brandishing weapons. England's clowns are furious.
Eldridge, whose clown name is Bluebottle, said: "This is doing clowning no favours and is harming society.
"The people behind it might see it as a bit of a laugh, but for the victims it can be a horrible experience.
"The fear of clowns – coulrophobia – is a real thing and some people will react very badly to this. Not to mention people who are elderly or vulnerable.
"This has nothing to do with clowning, it's a small group of people with stupid views and it spoils the fun for everybody else."
UK's concerned clowns call for end to copycat crime wave [Press Association/The Guardian]
(Thanks, Alice!)
