CLOWNS in Oxfordshire have been arrested as a menacing ‘killer clown’ craze continues to sweep the country.
Thames Valley Police South and Vale said “the circus is over” after officers arrested clowns for public order offences.
It comes after the force was called to 14 clown-related incidents, including one in Abingdon, over the weekend.
But despite being asked by the Oxford Mail police were unable to give any further details about the incidents.
The ‘killer clown’ craze has seen dozens of people in clown masks spotted lurking in locations across the country.
Taxi driver Colin Dobson was among those who spotted an “Anti-Clown Watch” sign in Wolvercote Green.
Photo: Colin Dobson.
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Officers said:
The circus of Public Order offences and Carrying Weapons is over-Clowns are being arrested to protect and reassure the public & deter crime.
— TVPSouth Oxon & VOWH (@tvpsouthandvale) October 9, 2016
Team 5 S&V arrest Clowns for Public Order offences - robust, proportionate and necessary arrests will be made to protect and reassure.
— TVPSouth Oxon & VOWH (@tvpsouthandvale) October 9, 2016
Oxford residents have been tweeting their thoughts about the latest 'phenomenon' too.
This clown thing has spread to Oxford, it's not clowns that scare me it's being chased at night by a stranger! Hope I don't see them...
— Rebecca (@TheRebeccaCoco) October 10, 2016
im sorry but Halloween is gon be scary af, how do we know if they're friendly clowns or killer clowns?!?!
— K (@KatieeSutcliffe) October 10, 2016
This clown craze thing is horrible 😭
— Alice Snell (@beautybyalicee_) October 8, 2016
Wtf just seen a clown stood on the side of the road omg
— Amy (@AmyCreed_) October 8, 2016
TVP South and Vale’s Twitter account posted: “Robust, proportionate and necessary arrests will be made to protect and reassure.
“The circus of public order offences and carrying weapons is over.
“Clowns are being arrested to protect and reassure the public and deter crime”.
The force said it had received calls from individuals or groups left intimidated or frightened by the clowns.
But professional clown David Konyot, who will perform in Abingdon at the end of the month, said he worried the clowns could put people off the circus.
He said: “The danger is that because kids cannot distinguish between good clowns and scary clowns they will not want to go to the circus.
“But I think once Halloween is over it will be done.
“Social media and modern life has got a lot to answer for, there is a hysteria about the fear of clowns.
“People are suspicious of others who hide behind the make-up.
“But every part of society has been declared as a serial killer or psychopath at some point.”
At the weekend TVP head of neighbourhood policing Ch Supt Andy Boyd warned that dressing as a clown with the intention of intimidating others could lead to an arrest and encouraged people to think about the impact of their behaviour.
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