Miss. County Bans Clown Costumes for Halloween

A Mississippi county has had enough of the creepy clown craze, at least until after Halloween, the AP reports. Kemper County supervisors this week banned people from wearing any clown costume, mask, or makeup in public. The local law carries a $150 penalty, and it will be lifted Nov. 1. According to the Kemper County Messenger, supervisors president Johnny Whitsett says it's a matter of public safety because people could react badly if they get scared by a clown in their yard. The county along the Alabama line has a population of about 10,000. Lee Rowland, an ACLU attorney in New York, says the First Amendment protects most clothing choices. She also says it's "a ridiculous use of government authority....to dictate which Halloween costumes people can wear." (More clown stories.)