A teenager claims she was terrorised by three people dressed as clowns as she walked from a bus stop in Perth on Saturday night.
Perth girl Rastana Baker, 16, was walking on Eighty Road in Baldivis, 46km south of Perth, about 7.15pm on Saturday when three men wearing clown masks jumped out of a car and followed her.
‘They were running in and out of the bushes, running up to me,’ Rastana told Perth Now.
‘They were running in and out of the bushes, running up to me,’ Rastana Baker (pictured) said
The 16-year-old said she was scratched on the neck when one of the clowns reached out to grab her.
Police believed the attack was possibly inspired by the film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel ‘It’, which was released in Australia in early September.
The horror movie features a clown called Pennywise, who terrorises a small town and kidnaps children.
Rastana said the Saturday night attack terrified her.
‘I didn’t think I was going to live to see today,’ she told Perth Now.
‘I didn’t think I was going to live to see today,’ Rastana Baker (pictured) said
Police believed the attack was possibly inspired by the film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel ‘It’, which was released in Australia in early September
Rastana was so frightened, she ran for two and a half kilometres to escape her tormentors.
‘Because the road was so dark and so long, I felt like I was just running forever,’ she said.
Police have stepped in as ‘clown patrollers’ after the Saturday night incident.
The ‘clown purge’, as it was known, began last year with ordinary people dressing up as fearsome masked figures, some even with weapons, in an attempt to terrorise the nation.
The horror movie features a clown called Pennywise (pictured), who terrorises a small town and kidnaps children
The group uploaded a picture of five fearsome police officers wearing monster masks who are ready to tackle the growing clown epidemic
Facebook page called Cop Humour Australia decided to tackle the clown epidemic using their own tricks – masks.
The group uploaded a picture of five fearsome police officers wearing monster masks.
‘Dear Clowns. There may be some of you, but there are more of us! We are also bigger, better and more scarier than you,’ the caption read.
‘There will be hundreds of clown hunting police out on the streets, coming to find you in the following suburbs: Balga, Midland, Mandurah, Rockingham every other suburb you can think of… Stay out at your own risk.’
The Perth incidents follow a clown craze which started in the US last year, when hundreds of people dressed up as evil clowns – the craze spread to Australia
A Facebook page called Clown Purge Australia had recently warned Perth residents that the strange dressed up characters would be popping up in neighbourhoods ‘very soon’
The post attracted 1,000 likes and numerous hilarious responses.
‘Don’t you already deal with clowns on a daily basis just not while they’re in costume?’ One funny commenter wrote.
‘Good on you, if one of those clowns jumped out in front of me I would be close to having a heart attack – thank you for trying to keep the streets safe and the idiots at bay,’ another mused.
A Facebook page called Clown Purge Australia recently warned Perth residents ‘clowns’ would be popping up in neighbourhoods ‘very soon’.
According to moderators of the Facebook page, which has wracked up 30,000 likes, ‘we do not mean any harm, all of it is just for a scare and some laughs’
‘Those who are dressing up and carrying out silly acts should think seriously about what they are doing – the distress caused to people is unnecessary and may lead to further harm,’ WA police said
According to moderators of the Facebook page, which wracked up 30,000 likes, ‘we do not mean any harm, all of it is just for a scare and some laughs.’
But WA police said the stunts were not without risk.
‘Those who are dressing up and carrying out silly acts should think seriously about what they are doing – the distress caused to people is unnecessary and may lead to further harm,’ they said.
‘By participating in this craze, people may be committing criminal offences and if so they will be charged by police.’
The Perth incidents follow a clown craze which started in the US last year, when hundreds of people dressed up as evil clowns.
In the wake of the US based ‘clown sightings’, the phenomenon spread to Europe, South America, New Zealand and Australia.