Clowns Are Back to Ruin Halloween

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Halloween. The way that I see it, there’s three different stages to this fun-loving holiday. First, a child getting excited to finally get to collect two pounds’ worth of candy while hiding behind the mask of their favorite television character. Secondly, the teenagers creating fun, harmless havoc around town. Lastly, the adults, smiling as they hand out candy to the screaming, laughing kids of the neighborhood. How could this candy-filled, pumpkin carving, spooky movie marathon holiday cause any harm we used to think?

Being able to run around at night is not what it used to be. The reason for this? Clowns. People are now dressing up as clowns, possibly holding weapons, chasing after others during the time span of Halloween. Clowns were the trend of 2016, where college campuses, parks, or neighborhoods would see a red haired, white faced clown lurking creepily down the street.

In Volusia County, Florida, police had sent out a warning stating a “scare at your own risk” rule was now in effect after an 11-year-old was supposedly attacked. The police told residents that if anyone feels victimized by an attacking clown they have the right to defend themselves. At the moment of the attack, the cops may not be present to intervene, so self defense is the safest way to protect oneself.

Michele Mastrofilippo, a junior, said “It’s scary to think that I could be walking around campus at dark and see a clown walking right in front of me”

Although Campus Police are constantly circling the campus for our safety, who’s to say that a mysterious clown won’t be walking around unnoticed? Self defense is the correct way to go about this situation. If protection is not readily available, myself being a college student would rather fight my way to safety than to get taken away.

Meagan Cauda, a senior, said “Since I lived in Forest Hills, I would literally walk home from campus with girls I have never even met before because all of us were so scared. I could not even begin to imagine if there were more clowns walking around again this year.”

Mastrofilippo continued with a normal fight or flight explanation “I’m not sure if I would either run or try and confront the clown, either way, let’s just hope it doesn’t happen again.”

Hopefully the clowns don’t re-appear, but if they do, protect yourselves, walk in groups, and look out for all of the blue lights on campus. It is a lot better to be safe than sorry.