In the month since the premiere of the Hollywood horror film «It», the new adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, the Israeli police have detained dozens of participants in a teenage clown flash mob.
The youngest detainee was 10 years old, the oldest was 28. As a rule, it was about young people who put on masks of clowns (or other characters), took toy weapons in their hands and went to the streets to frighten people.
Those who went out to «hunt clowns» and those who armed themselves to protect themselves from clowns were detained. Often the idea of carrying weapons (brass knuckles, screwdrivers, hammers, short knives) arose among those teenagers who were appointed «victims of the day» in «clown communities» on social networks (most often on Instagram).
As a result of the actions of «clowns» and «clown hunters» there are several victims. Law enforcement officials fear that such entertainment could have more serious consequences.
Israeli media pay special attention to the «clown» theme. Against this background, false reports were spread on social networks that allegedly one «clown» in Israel had already been killed, as well as videos of cruel reprisals against pranksters (which are performances, some of which were filmed before the flash mob began).
The police urge citizens not to take the law into their own hands. Law enforcement agencies are seriously concerned about the games of «clowns» and are taking the necessary measures.
It should be noted that after the premiere of the film based on the first part of King’s book «It is a club of losers», «clown» games began all over the world, primarily in the United States. As a rule, this infatuation diminishes over time.