Gatineau police investigate after creepy clowns terrify children in park

Police inGatineau, Que., are investigating after two teenagersdressed as clowns scared children in a local park.

A parent complained after two teens,one of whom was carrying a two-metre-long chain, chased children home fromParcLimbour, in northwest Gatineau, on Monday.

Caroline Saint-Pierre's 11-year-old daughter was in the park with a group of friends, including a five-year-old, when the incident happened.

The clownsfollowed them through the park and when the kids started to run, they ran after them.- Caroline Saint-Pierre, parent

"The clownsfollowed them through the park and when the kids started to run, they ran after them," she said.

Saint-Pierre's daughter ran all the way home. When Saint-Pierre confronted one teenage clown and asked him why he was scaring children, she got no answer.

"He didn't reply. He was mute," Saint-Pierre said, speaking in French in an interview with Radio-Canada.

Gatineaupolice say they are taking the incident very seriously, but that no charges will be laid against the teens, aboy and agirl,because they found no criminal intent.

Prank 'not acceptable,' police say

"This is not acceptable," saidGatineaupolice spokesman PierreLanthier.

He fears that what mightstart as teenagers clowning aroundcould escalate. "Younever know what could happen in a case like this. Some members of the public might take this very seriously,involving violence."

Lanthiersays it is possible the teens were inspired by similar pranks appearing on socialmedia sites around the world. Sightings of scaryclownshave gone viral in the U.S., England,France and Australia.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that a man seen walking aroundthe streets of Green Bay, Wis., wearing a filthy clownsuit andcarrying fourblack balloons was taking part in a publicity stunt for a short film. News about "Gags the Green Bay Clown" was reported around the world.

One headline in the New York Postsummed it up neatly: "This creepy clown is freaking everyone out."

An ItalianYouTubechannel, DM Pranks,has garnered hundreds ofmillions of hits by featuring short films that show menacing clowns behaving strangely or bludgeoning stuffeddummies just asunsuspecting members of the public walk by. In some clips, the clowns then chase the terrified witnesses.

Last month, the first images of the remake of Stephen King'sItwere released. The film featuresPennywise, anevil clownwho is played by Swedish actorBillSkarsgardin the remake. It's not clear whether the advanced publicity has also helped to inspire the recent spate of clown pranks.

Two years agoin France, police arrested 14 teenagers who were dressed as clowns andcarrying weapons. In a separate incident, a 19-year-old was charged by French police for threatening passers-by while wearing a clown costume.