A national “levity” organization, Clowns Without Borders USA, has issued a statement condemning the actions of those impersonating clowns to frighten, make fictitious threats and incite anxiety in others. Executive Director, Molly Rose Levine says this wave of negative and hurtful sentiments against professional clowns pains their community. “While this phenomenon in the U.S. hasn’t affected our international programming, it certainly has affected the climate here at home,” she said. “We honor and support our community of professional performing artists, who are experiencing prejudice because of this.” She went on to add that they are distraught about reports of school closures, verbal harassments and physical altercations linked to creepy clowns in numerous state. These are not clowns, Levine says. These pretenders are disturbing figures working to hide their identities. This is not the first time “creepy clowns” have made the rounds as a media fad, but according to Levine, it is a setback each time.
