Associated Press/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
- Insane Clown Posse fans lost their bid in a federal appeals court to have the FBI scrap its designation of the group as a gang.
- A 2011 FBI report to Congress described Juggalos — the group’s fans — as a “loosely organized hybrid gang.”
- The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the 2011 report had no direct legal consequences on Juggalos.
Fans of rap-metal music group Insane Clown Posse have lost an appeal to have an FBI report scrubbed of language referring to them as a gang.
The group’s fans are known as Juggalos. They’re upset that a 2011 report given to Congress describes Juggalos as a “loosely organized hybrid gang.” The fans filed a lawsuit in Detroit, blaming the report for harassment by police.
The 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the report carries no direct legal consequences. The court also says the Justice Department isn’t responsible for how other police agencies use information in the annual report.
Juggalos often have jewelry and tattoos with the group’s symbol, a man running with a hatchet.
The American Civil Liberties Union says the court “let the FBI off the hook.” Juggalos aren’t mentioned in subsequent gang reports.
Juggalos made headlines earlier this fall after hundreds of the tattooed, face-painted fans descended on Washington, DC to protest the gang designation and draw mainstream awareness to the cause.
The Juggalo March’s official website argued in September that the gang label resulted in “hundreds if not thousands of people subjected to various forms of discrimination, harassment, and profiling simply for identifying as a Juggalo.”
“We have tried to use the American judicial system to achieve justice and we failed,” the website read.
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