Clown strikes again in Germany

DUSSELDORF: A 33-year-old man was injured in a knife attack by two men wearing clown masks in western Germany, in an escalation in a string of such incidents in the country.

The deaf victim sustained a knife injury to the hand in the city of Gelsenkirchen, after which the two masked men fled the scene on a scooter, police said.

There have been several so-called clown attacks in Germany. Also in Gelsenkirchen, a 14-year-old girl was injured by a clown with a baseball bat.

In nearby Wesel, two men reported a clown threatening them with a gun and a knife.

There has been a wave of clown sightings in the US as well, and dozens of people have reported being stalked or attacked by clowns. – dpa