Roundup: Aussie police to crack down on "clown craze" after schools terrorized

Clowns' terrorizing schools in Victoria has prompted police to warn that the phenomenon which has gripped Australia will no longer be tolerated.

The trend, which involves people dressing up as clowns to scare unsuspecting citizens, originated in the United States but has rapidly spread to Australia in the past month.

Victoria Police issued a statement on Wednesday, saying it would not tolerate intimidation or the "incitement of fear" -- and those found guilty of participating in the "clown craze" and threatening people would face a two-year jail term.

Students at Saint Columba's College in Essendon, 10 km northwest of Melbourne's central business district (CBD), were evacuated from their class rooms on Tuesday after a number of clowns with weapons appeared on the street outside the secondary school.

Four clowns also appeared outside a primary school in Elsternwick, nine km southeast of the CBD, trying to scare children aged between five and 12 years old on their lunch break.

"One was dressed in a full clown costume, one had a singlet that said 'You're Next' and one had a baseball bat apparently," a parent of a student at the Elsternwick school told Fairfax Media on Wednesday.

Another three clowns were spotted allegedly holding fake knives and a toy gun in Carrum Downs, 36 km southeast of the CBD, but police said the three had left before they arrived.

The spate of sightings on Tuesday came in the wake of Victoria's first clown-related arrest on Sunday in the country town of Moe, 130 km east of Melbourne.

The 23-year old man was charged with assault, weapons and disguise-related offences after being arrested for approaching customers outside a fast food restaurant at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday morning allegedly wearing a clown mask and holding an axe.

Howard Jones, a senior sergeant at Morwell Police station, said the man initially denied having any knowledge of the incident but a search of his car uncovered a clown mask, axe and baseball bat.

Jones said the actions would not be tolerated even if they were intended to be in jest.

"People jumping out of bushes with an axe; that's going to freak you out at the best of times," Jones told Fairfax on Wednesday.

"We suspect they were just joking around, but the public didn't see the joke. Victoria Police does not tolerate intimidation."

Victoria Police echoed Jones' warning against adopting the trend, saying that behaving in a threatening manner was "simply not funny".

"We understand that some people are getting involved for a bit of fun, however this arrest is a timely reminder that this behavior is not amusing and, in many cases, it is criminal behaviour," Victoria Police said in a statement to the ABC on Wednesday.

"The penalty for possessing an article of disguise is up to two years imprisonment."

"Victoria Police does not tolerate intimidation, the incitement of fear or the carrying of weapons."

A teenager in Brisbane was also arrested on Tuesday night after police found him in a street wearing a clown mask and brandishing a knife. Endit