A parade of clowns cavorted through Tuesday night’s Farmers Market in a peaceful, red-nosed protest over alleged treatment of one of their own. The Peace Lady, Patricia LaGrange, said she was kicked out of last week’s event by market management, which had mistaken her colorful garb, painted countenance and theatrical shopping style for bothersome and unauthorized entertainment.
Like so many cream pies, allegations flew that police had physically escorted her from the horseshoe. That claim was unfounded; the police department is on record as saying it does not have the interest or the authority to intervene based on matters of physical appearance. Still, the clown community was up to its spinning bow tie in indignation. Popo the Clown, among others on Facebook, put out the call for a “clown army” to assemble on the Plaza on Tuesday night. Some 20 clowns did arrive (alas, in regular-sized cars) and painted the faces of passersby willing to join the movement. Another symbol of solidarity, the fake red nose, was also distributed in great number.
A parade of clowns, lead by Skanky the Clown, then cavorted through the market and was well received. Any negative reaction was based less on politics than symptoms of Coulrophobia. “I wish they had asked for permission,” said market Manager Hilda Swartz. “We would have probably given it to them. But it’s no big deal. Why make a fuss?”
The colorful parade ended with a brief rally at the Plaza’s Broadway edge, where Skanky used a prop lock-and-chain to lash himself to a large palm. “Thank you for supporting our constitutional right to be bizarre,” he said.
