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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Why I am a 'killer clown' | Why I am a 'killer clown' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| You're on your way home. It's dark. Out of the corner of your eye you see a figure lurking menacingly. As your eyes adjust to the gloom, the figure eases into focus - it's a clown. | You're on your way home. It's dark. Out of the corner of your eye you see a figure lurking menacingly. As your eyes adjust to the gloom, the figure eases into focus - it's a clown. |
| Clown sightings have become an increasingly common occurrence in the US, Australia and Canada. And, fuelled by social media, they are now on the rise in the UK too. | Clown sightings have become an increasingly common occurrence in the US, Australia and Canada. And, fuelled by social media, they are now on the rise in the UK too. |
| Professional clowns hit out at pranksters | Professional clowns hit out at pranksters |
| Creepy clowns: Why do people find them so scary? | |
| Thames Valley Police responded to 14 separate clown-related incidents on Sunday, while in Norwich, a man was arrested after an incident in which someone dressed as a clown terrified a woman in a park. | Thames Valley Police responded to 14 separate clown-related incidents on Sunday, while in Norwich, a man was arrested after an incident in which someone dressed as a clown terrified a woman in a park. |
| In Durham, four children were followed to school by a clown armed with a knife. | In Durham, four children were followed to school by a clown armed with a knife. |
| But what motivates someone to put on a clown mask and terrify strangers? | But what motivates someone to put on a clown mask and terrify strangers? |
| Matteo Moroni, 29, from Perugia, Italy, is the owner and director of YouTube channel DM Pranks. He's been terrifying unsuspecting passers-by for three years in a series of frightening videos that have racked up hundreds of millions of views on the video-sharing website. | Matteo Moroni, 29, from Perugia, Italy, is the owner and director of YouTube channel DM Pranks. He's been terrifying unsuspecting passers-by for three years in a series of frightening videos that have racked up hundreds of millions of views on the video-sharing website. |
| His videos are typically shot at night in remote, eerie locations - empty multi-storey car parks, secluded subway paths, petrol stations - and feature classic horror story motifs, from murderous twins to zombies and aliens. But clowns, he says, are the most effective. | His videos are typically shot at night in remote, eerie locations - empty multi-storey car parks, secluded subway paths, petrol stations - and feature classic horror story motifs, from murderous twins to zombies and aliens. But clowns, he says, are the most effective. |
| "It's the most scary and creepy thing you can meet at night," he says, adding: "I own the creepy clown voice." | "It's the most scary and creepy thing you can meet at night," he says, adding: "I own the creepy clown voice." |
| Most of the videos are made in his hometown, but he has also filmed in the United States. | Most of the videos are made in his hometown, but he has also filmed in the United States. |
| In September 2015 he published a video made in Las Vegas, again featuring a series of menacing clowns. | In September 2015 he published a video made in Las Vegas, again featuring a series of menacing clowns. |
| "That video is my favourite by far," he says. | "That video is my favourite by far," he says. |
| "It got 1.7 billion views in six months from Facebook posts around the world." | "It got 1.7 billion views in six months from Facebook posts around the world." |
| Many social media users have reported being frightened by clowns. | Many social media users have reported being frightened by clowns. |
| Twitter user Demi Sim was initially unconcerned by the clown craze but has become increasingly worried. | Twitter user Demi Sim was initially unconcerned by the clown craze but has become increasingly worried. |
| And some people have even reported changing their behaviour because of the threat of the clowns. Katy Erin's comments are typical of much of the reaction that has been seen. | And some people have even reported changing their behaviour because of the threat of the clowns. Katy Erin's comments are typical of much of the reaction that has been seen. |
| But Matteo does not believe what he does is cruel. | But Matteo does not believe what he does is cruel. |
| "Taxes are cruel," he says. "I think that a good jog (even if you're running away from a clown) never killed anybody. Everything is under my strict supervision and I spend hours preparing the prank scene to avoid anything going wrong. | "Taxes are cruel," he says. "I think that a good jog (even if you're running away from a clown) never killed anybody. Everything is under my strict supervision and I spend hours preparing the prank scene to avoid anything going wrong. |
| "I have people watching the area. Once we've pulled the prank we have people to run after the victim. | "I have people watching the area. Once we've pulled the prank we have people to run after the victim. |
| "Some people go crazy and I normally say that we were shooting a movie. After they've calmed down I reveal that it was a prank." | "Some people go crazy and I normally say that we were shooting a movie. After they've calmed down I reveal that it was a prank." |
| Despite this, things do sometimes go wrong. | Despite this, things do sometimes go wrong. |
| "I don't harm anyone" | "I don't harm anyone" |
| Matteo says that one couple who fell victim to his prank phoned the police. From their point of view, they had just witnessed someone dressed as a clown kill a victim and then chase after them. | Matteo says that one couple who fell victim to his prank phoned the police. From their point of view, they had just witnessed someone dressed as a clown kill a victim and then chase after them. |
| Matteo says that he caught up with them to reveal the prank. But by that point, 27 officers in nine cars and two vans were already on the way. | Matteo says that he caught up with them to reveal the prank. But by that point, 27 officers in nine cars and two vans were already on the way. |
| He is not keen on the clown craze that is currently growing around the world. | He is not keen on the clown craze that is currently growing around the world. |
| "The situation is now totally out of control," he says. "I think it probably started as a marketing campaign. People then jumped on the bandwagon for no real purpose and now the worry is that people could be using that bandwagon as a mask to hide criminal acts." | "The situation is now totally out of control," he says. "I think it probably started as a marketing campaign. People then jumped on the bandwagon for no real purpose and now the worry is that people could be using that bandwagon as a mask to hide criminal acts." |
| Nonetheless, he recognises that videos such as his could have contributed to the current craze. | Nonetheless, he recognises that videos such as his could have contributed to the current craze. |
| "I always write down 'don't try this at home' in the description beneath my videos, but to be honest this stuff is 100% useless. | "I always write down 'don't try this at home' in the description beneath my videos, but to be honest this stuff is 100% useless. |
| "But I don't harm anyone and my subscribers know the efforts I go to to make sure it's safe." | "But I don't harm anyone and my subscribers know the efforts I go to to make sure it's safe." |
| Chris Bell, BBC UGC and Social News team | Chris Bell, BBC UGC and Social News team |