“Coulrophobia” is the fear of clowns. With recent sightings of clowns in the U.S and Canada, for some their worst fear has become a nightmarish reality.
“Clownpocalypse”, the name given to the new trend, started in the U.S and has begun to make appearances in Canada. Multiple high schools in Toronto have been targeted by social media groups, including 8 in the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
TCDSB spokesperson John Yan has said Toronto police services are taking the threats seriously, but there is no real danger.
Most sightings were just teenagers trying to get a scare out of people for online attention, while others were more sinister, such as a sighting in Quebec where someone dressed as a clown threatened two drivers with a weapon.
Sightings have been reported in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Nunavut, Quebec, and Ontario.
In early October a social media group posted to Instagram stating they planned to “kidnap students and behead teachers” in high schools around London Ontario.
One of the worst cases reported so far took place in late September in Pennsylvania when 16-year-old Christian Torres was stabbed to death by an assailant wearing a clown costume.
Some speculate that the cause of the clown epidemic is a way to promote the new film adaption to Stephen King’s clown-themed novel, “It”.
The trend started as a mere prank, but with more and more occurrences, what was once something used to gain attention by teenagers is now escalating to murder, and even the attempted kidnapping of a one-year-old in California.
The police have stated they cannot stop anyone from wearing costumes, but the actions they take while in costume could have repercussions.
Should we be paranoid of the clown epidemic? No. But it is advised that if you do spot a clown, not to approach them and to report it to the police.