‘Pennywise’ terrorizes Scottish town, challenges cops – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A small Scottish town is on edge as a sinister figure, donned as Stephen King’s “Pennywise the Dancing Clown,” haunts its streets in a bizarre and unsettling game of cat and mouse with local law enforcement, the New York Post reported, quoting Sky News.

This reportedly unfolded in Skelmorlie, a town situated 35 miles from the country’s capital, Edinburgh, and has sparked both fear and curiosity among its 2,000 residents.

The enigmatic clown, who often carries the infamous red balloon and wears the iconic red hair, collar, and ruffled leggings, has an account under the name “Cole Deimos” on Facebook. In a chilling Facebook post titled “A message to the media,” a distorted voice issued a taunting message: “Well, well, well, I’ve made the news again. Should I smile for the cameras with my hideous grin?”

The unsettling individual, who has yet to be identified, seems to revel in his notoriety and has issued threats to the local community through his Facebook account. Concerned residents have been vocal about their unease, with one local father-of-two expressing, “Whoever this is, they are scaring everybody – he needs to be stopped. Someone needs to have a word with him before the police get involved or he really terrifies someone. He could give someone a heart attack.”

While the police in Scotland are aware of the eerie videos circulating online, they have not yet received formal reports regarding the situation. In the videos posted on Facebook, the clown reads out alleged old comments from the social media platform and responds to them with a menacing monologue, demonstrating a deep sense of enjoyment in his unsettling antics.

The clown’s Facebook biography section lists his origin as Hell, Michigan, where he allegedly attended Hellgate High School in Montana and studied at Clown School before becoming self-employed. His motives remain shrouded in mystery, as he seems to relish the chaos and fear he is sowing.

In one video, he brushes off concerns, stating, “‘The police have been informed,’ do you think that I care? They’d have to catch me first anyway, and yes, that’s a dare.” He adds, “Don’t believe what you are told. This clown doesn’t want fame, glory, or gold, he just wants to play, in this so-called ‘sleepy town.’ So come and join in and learn to fear The Skelmorlie Clown.”

This eerie resurgence of the “creepy clown” viral trend harks back to 2016 when such sightings and incidents captured global attention, even leading to threats against schools in New York and subsequent lockdowns.

As the Skelmorlie Clown continues to taunt authorities and terrorize the town, social media users are torn between labeling it as a prank or a legitimate threat. The public’s reactions to the enigmatic figure have been mixed, with some condemning the actions as “pathetic” and “lame,” while others view the ordeal as “harmless fun.”