The plight of the Juggalos: Why clowns marched on Washington

  • 16 September 2017

Washington DC is used to marches - but the latest protesters to descend on the capital may have made passersby look twice.

  • A man poses for a photo during the Juggalo March, at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, September 16, 2017 in Washington, DC. Getty Images

    A group of disgruntled clowns, known as "Juggalos", descended on Washington on Saturday.

  • Juggalos, fans of the band Insane Clown Posse, listen to a speaker during the Juggalo March at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, USA, 16 September 2017 EPA

    They are angry they have been labelled a gang by the FBI - albeit one described as a "loosely organised hybrid".

  • A man in a clown face stands in the midst of the protest EPA

    The clowns say they are simply super-fans of hardcore hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse and the classification has resulted in people being "subjected to various forms of discrimination, harassment, and profiling simply for identifying as a Juggalo".

  • A man holds up a giant cut out of a clown face during the rally in Washington Getty Images

    Jason Webber, a publicist at the band's label, Psychopathic Records, said the march would focus attention on the discrimination the group faces.

  • A woman holds up a sign saying "when injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty" during a march in Washington Reuters

    "What we hope to get out of it is to get the attention of the entire world and the FBI and other political forces to drive home a simple but powerful message: Juggalos are not a gang. They are a musical subculture and family," he told NBC News.

  • Zach Vance, from Utah County, Utah, poses for a photo in front of the Lincoln Memorial, before the start of the Juggalo March, September 16, 2017 in Washington, DC Getty Images

    Whether the US Justice Department will listen remains to be seen.

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