Creepy Clowns Capturing Attention Throughout Plymouth

In July of 2015, a video went viral of a clown loitering outside a Chicago cemetery. CBS Chicago reported that a man, or woman, was “standing outside the Rosehill Cemetery simply just waving at onlookers”. Many had an alarmed reaction to the video, seeing their biggest fear outside a place full of dead can make the heart stop.

Another incident in Jacksonville, Florida was a little more daring. A family’s home surveillance video was able to capture a man, dressed as a clown infiltrate their property and stand on their porch. Here, the clown mocks the camera and without hesitation, smashes a jack-o-lantern placed on the families porch. The video stirred up controversy and left residents on edge for weeks after.

Since the sightings of the clowns started spiking around the time students were returning to campus there have been numerous sightings of clowns appearing in the utmost likely of places around Plymouth.

A Facebook page has emerged showing a duo calling themselves “The Plymouth Clowns” and the page is quickly gaining popularity. One appears to be a male while the other accomplice appears to be a female. Pictures of students with the clowns have been posted on the page and the clowns appear to be nothing more than a thrill-seeking duo trying to prepare those they encounter for Halloween.

In an online post the Plymouth clowns wrote, “The Plymouth clown is completely harmless. He’s a pretty hilarious dude in real life who likes to scare people, he has no intentions of harming or hurting anybody.”

Although they claim to be harmless some students think otherwise. “If they were harmless, then why would they wear such scary masks?” asked Alex DiCentes, a sophomore, who openly admits to being terrified of clowns. In respect to students who share the same fear, The Plymouth Clowns have been barred from entering any dormitories or buildings on campus, however, are allowed to roam freely outside.

It appears as though they are not the only ones who feel threatened amid the rise of the clowns. Taking to social media, The Plymouth Clowns stated, “those posts saying ‘I’m going to taze his ass,’ ‘I’ll shoot him,’ ‘I’ll stab him’ is illegal. And those of you saying, ‘I have a concealed carry permit and I’ll defend myself,’ it isn’t defending yourself if he isn’t posing a threat to you.”

Whether this is a form of art or expression is up to those who encounter the clowns. When faced with this question, senior Ryan Davis thinks, “This is a personal way to gain attention and publicity.” It appears the Plymouth Clowns have done just this gaining momentum, it appears that there is no stop in sight to witness the clowns walk the streets of Plymouth. Despite the backlash the Clowns wrote on Facebook, “Remember he is just a person in a costume who has family and friends who don’t want to see him get hurt.”