Published in the October 6, 2016 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The recent rash of reported sightings of people dressed as clowns is no laughing matter, according to local police.
Whether it’s actual people dressed as clowns or mere hoax calls, the recent phenomenon of spotting real or imagined clowns has turned into something of a disturbing pop-cultural fad as we approach the 2016 Halloween season.
The Boston Globe reported that “incidents” involving sightings of creepy clowns, some of which are likely hoaxes, have been reported in 33 states recently.
Right here in Wakefield, there have been at least two reports called in to local police over the last two days. On Tuesday, a caller reported someone dressed as a clown walking down the middle of Linda Road. Yesterday, another caller reported five individuals dressed as clowns on Quannapowitt Parkway. On a Wakefield community Facebook page, a photoshopped image of a clown standing in front of Hart’s Hardware has drawn dozens of comments.
The pop-cultural phenomenon of the menacing or creepy clown is nothing new. It emerged in the 1970s with movies like Halloween and others that featured evil jesters wreaking violent havoc. The irony of a costumed, comic entertainer as a figure of fear appears to have a particular appeal among college-aged pranksters.
Some of the reported sightings of menacing clowns have been intended to cause real distress. A recent reported sighting at Merrimack College of a suspicious person dressed as a clown “who may be armed” resulted in the campus being locked down. The reported sighting turned out to be unfounded but the disruption it caused was real.
Wakefield’s Deputy Police Chief Craig Calabrese cautioned that what may be a joke to some must be treated as a serious matter by police.
“Although some of the reports across the country of threatening clown sightings have proven to be false, both law enforcement and school officials must take all of these seriously, especially those involving alleged weapons,” Calabrese said. “It has become increasingly difficult for police officers making split second decisions to decipher what is and is not a real gun or weapon, as manufacturers continue to produce items that appear more and more realistic. With the increased anxiety regarding this issue we would strongly suggest that no one uses the clown costumes this season, whether it be for fun or as a prank. Many children have already been frightened by this from what they have seen on the news and this is certainly not something that we want to exacerbate within our community.”
