Send in the Clowns: Campbell Newman vs Insane Clown Posse

American hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse are touring Australia next month, but Queensland Premier Campbell Newman might have something to say about the self-proclaimed “wicked clowns” disgracing any stage in the Sunshine State.

It is highly unlikely Newman will extend a friendly salute of the Juggalo to Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope when the duo arrive in Brisvegas for its December 5^th show at the Hi-Fi Bar, especially since the FBI has described the dastardly duo’s fans — known as Juggalos — as  “a loosely-organized hybrid gang … rapidly expanding into many US communities”.

In fact, Newman might have Joseph Bruce (Violent J), Joseph Utsler (Shaggy 2 Dope) and their fans dragged off to the Roma St lock-ups and booked under Queensland’s new suite of anti-gang laws.

If that sounds far-fetched, consider what some legal experts have said about the laws enacted by the Newman government in its war against bikers.

Queensland Law Society president Annette Bradfield says the new laws, legislated in October with a second round passed this week, could be used against more than just Finks, Bandidos and Mob Shitters.

“Potentially, the new VLAD [Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Bill 2013] legislation could apply to any association, sporting group, book club, etc – it doesn’t just apply to criminal motorcycle gangs,” she told the ABC.

Peter Callaghan SC, president of the Law and Justice Institute (Qld) Inc., compared Newman’s stance to Vladimir Putin and decried the new measures as McCarthyism.

“It is sickening to think that the language of Joseph McCarthy is now part of the Law of Queensland. And remember, ‘organisations’ are not limited to groups of ‘bikies’,” Callaghan wrote in a piece for Fairfax.

No doubt aware of how creepy clowns (think John Wayne Gacy) can be – especially insane ones in a posse – the Queensland Government is ready to stare down this musical menace and keep the state safe, especially after dark.

Police Minister Jack Dempsey told the Queensland Parliament in justifying the new laws: “People need to know when they go to bed at night and the darkness of the evening comes over, that they can sleep safely in their beds.”

Queensland Juggalos tromping through the streets of Fortitude Valley late at night in their evil clown shoes have been warned.

Still think Newman and trusty sidekick Jack “in-the-box” Dempsey are clowning around?

Here’s the relevant legislation:

Amendment of s 1 (Definitions)

Section 1, definition criminal organisation— omit, insert— criminal organisation means—

(a) an organisation of 3 or more persons—

(i) who have as their purpose, or 1 of their purposes, engaging in, organising, planning, facilitating, supporting, or otherwise conspiring to engage in, serious criminal activity as defined under the Criminal Organisation Act 2009; and

(ii) who, by their association, represent an unacceptable risk to the safety, welfare or order of the community; or

(b) a criminal organisation under the Criminal Organisation Act 2009;

(c) an entity declared under a regulation to be a criminal organisation.

So what, you say? There are only two members of the Insane Clown Posse. The law calls for “an organisation of 3 or more persons”. There might only be two musical members of the group (not counting support and road crew), but what about the Juggalo Army which follows the band around?

The FBI labelled the Juggalos a “hybrid gang” in its 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment, which the band is now fighting in court. In the same report, the FBI went on to say:

“Although recognized as a gang in only four states, many Juggalos subsets exhibit gang-like behavior and engage in criminal activity and violence. Law enforcement officials in at least 21 states have identified criminal Juggalo sub-sets, according to NGIC reporting.”

If labelling the group a gang is good enough for the FBI and four US states (Arizona, California, Pennsylvania, and Utah) then it could well be good enough for the Queensland Government.

And would it stretch credulity to think that Newman, Dempsey and state Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie would say that Juggalos “by their association, represent an unacceptable risk to safety, welfare or order of the community”?

Insane Clown Posse have already hit a tour hitch, with Australian Customs putting the kybosh on the importation of the group’s favourite brand of soda pop, Faygo, which they spray on their Juggalo ne’er-do-wells during shows.

But a showdown with Newman’s insane posse could really take the fizz out of their pop.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time a musical group and its fans have been treated as a criminal gang. In Putin’s Russia right now, members of Pussy Riot have been locked up for acts of blasphemy against the Russian Orthodox Church, while US punk rockers Black Flag (touring Australia now) had a legendary series of run-ins with California law enforcement.

Queensland has its own rich heritage of musical censorship and oppression to call on, dating back to the Joh Bjelke-Petersen years of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. The premier of Queensland from 1968 to 1987, Bjelke-Petersen’s conservative government earned the ire of liberals and progressives and inspired the politicisation of the Brisbane music scene.

This scene was detailed in Andrew Stafford’s book Pig City, with the book’s title taken from a punk protest song by The Parameters about the corruption and cronyism of the Bjelke-Petersen era. UK group The Stranglers also recorded a song about Bjelke-Petersen called “Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)”.

Insane Clown Posse are touring Australia in December.