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'Scary clown' pushes 14-year-old off his bike in Salzburg

The Local Austria
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'Scary clown' pushes 14-year-old off his bike in Salzburg
Generic photo: Graeme Maclean/Flickr

A 14-year-old boy in Salzburg has been injured after being pushed off his bike by an individual dressed as a scary clown.

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He was riding his bike on a road in the Hallein-Burgfried area when a stranger dressed as a creepy clown ran over and pushed him. The boy fell off his bike and suffered cuts and bruises. The masked man ran off, laughing loudly. Police say they are investigating the incident.

In the nearby market town of Grödig two teenagers dressed as scary clowns and posed in front of the village sign for pictures, which they then posted on social networks. After local residents complained the police were quickly able to track down the 15- and 16-year-old and told their parents what they had been up to. The teenagers said they only wanted to get attention on social media.

In Bischofshofen, also in Salzburg state, police stopped a 14-year-old boy who was dressed in a clown suit and making threatening gestures in front of a shopping centre. He told officers that he only wanted to be photographed by a friend. They pair were handed over to their parents and will probably just receive a police caution.

There have already been two “scary clown” incidents in Vienna - one at the Praterstern train station, and a second one in the Favoriten district, in a children’s playground. Both the clowns were carrying what appeared to be some form of weapon - a machete and an axe.

Several other clown-related incidents have been reported across Europe in the past weeks on the back of a worldwide 'killer clown' trend.

The Red Noses Clowndoctors International group, which is based in Vienna and is the largest foundation of hospital clown organisations, said it was concerned by the recent 'creepy clown' sightings.

"This image in no way reflects the true philosophy of the clown and endangers the hard work of thousands of artists working as clowns, especially professional hospital clowns who constantly contribute to the wellbeing of patients worldwide,” the group's artistic director, Giora Seeliger, said.

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