Hit 104.7 clown prank no laughing matter say police

ACT police have condemned a stunt by hit 104.7 breakfast co-host Ryan Jon, who, dressed as a clown, looked to be assaulted at a house in Belconnen, a Canberra suburb. 

According to the Canberra Times, Jon “pranked” two listeners on Monday night by turning up on their doorstep dressed as a clown, in what he has described as a “rehearsed” and “scripted” prank.

The clown craze sweeping parts of the U.S. and, more recently W.A. and now Canberra, involves people dressed as sinister looking clowns often wielding weapons in an attempt to frighten strangers. Videos and images of clown events are then posted on social media.

Police in the ACT are cracking down on the clown craze and have issued warnings about the disturbing trend.

“This is a timely reminder that this social media stunt could have serious ramifications for people who either dress as clowns to intimidate members of the public and for those who deliberately attack persons dressed as clowns,” a police spokeswoman told the paper. “Any type of intimidating, threatening or anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated by police.”

But Canberra FM’s general manager Craig Wagstaff reportedly said the video was only on social media for a “short time” and had been planned before police had issued their warnings.

“The scripted clown stunt video was pre-planned earlier in the day in relation to a very topical issue and was carried out in a private, controlled environment, before being placed on social media for a short time,” Mr Wagstaff told reporters.

He said the video was taken down as one of the “content decisions we make every day”.

Read the full story with pics and video in the Canberra Times.

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