The Insane Clown Posse, a Detroit music duo known for explicit lyrics, face paint and a diehard following that created the “Juggalo” subculture, is calling on its fans to march in Washington, D.C., this weekend to make a “collective statement from the Juggalo family to the world about what we are and what we are not.
”The group invites Juggalos at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, to meet at the National Mall in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
There will be testimonies, music performances and messages from the rappers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope about their fans being designated a gang by law enforcement.
Related: Watch a video about the march here. Caution, explicit language.
“So, on Saturday, Sept.16, we are taking out fight to the streets,” a message to fans said. “At this point, it’s time for everyone to put up or shut up. You say you’re a recording artist who supports the Juggalo Family’s fight against discrimination? Then be there. Live. In person. In D.C. along with thousands of Juggalos standing up for their civil rights and the rights of others who have been oppressed or discriminated by reckless law enforcement agencies.”
The march is part of a continued fight between ICP and the FBI and the Department of Justice over a 2011 Gang Task Force that listed Juggalos as a “loosely-organized hybrid gang” that “exhibit gang-like behavior and engage in criminal activity and violence.”
The rap group’s legal team has heard stories from fans across the country in the past five years about Juggalos losing custody of their children, being fired from jobs, denied entry into the armed forces and being labeled as a gang member by law enforcement for wearing certain clothing or having tattoos.
“A simple traffic stop for a broken tail light can — and has — resulted in an otherwise law-abiding, hard-working, taxpaying citizen being put on a local or state list of gang members simply for displaying their Juggalo pride,” ICP said in a message on its website promoting the march. “Being labeled a gang member can be a permanent stain on an individual’s life, since it will come up in a simple background check every single time.
“Whether that person is applying for a job,…
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