Fans of ‘Insane Clown’ rap duo AND Prez swamp National Mall
WASHINGTON — Send in the clowns.
Washington is a circus most days, but on Saturday, the nation’s capital had an exceptionally carnival-like atmosphere.
Thousands of protesters — including a massive contingent of fans of the rap duo Insane Clown Posse and a small group of right-wing conservatives — descended on D.C. for a diverse set of demonstrations.
Portions of the National Mall were sectioned off for the different groups.
In front of the Lincoln Memorial, a swelling crowd of so-called Juggalos, superdevoted Insane Clown Posse fans, held a rally demanding the FBI rescind its classification of the group as a “loosely organized hybrid gang.”
Face paint-wearing fans lofted signs that read “Juggalo lives matter” and “Justice for Juggalos” as the scent of marijuana wafted over the crowd.
A 2011 report by the Justice Department’s gang task force compared the fanatic fan base to violent gangs like the Bloods and the Crips. The report said the fans have committed assaults and vandalism, and a “small number” of them have engaged in more serious crimes.
Juggalos say they’ve been profiled, lost jobs and even the custody of their children due to the FBI’s label.
“I am not a gang member. I have never been convicted of a crime. I do not have a speeding ticket or failed a drug test,” said Crystal Guerrero, of Albuquerque, N.M. “My children were taken from me, physical custody, because I showed up to one concert.”
Guerrero, 26, told the Daily News that her sons, now 6 and 2, were taken away from her in 2015 after their father argued that listening to Insane Clown Posse made her an unsuitable mother.
The group, which formed in Detroit nearly 25 years ago, performs wearing clown makeup and is known for its dark lyrics.
“You know in your hearts that we’re the good guys,” Violent J,