Singapore remained on high alert today over an infestation of predatory clowns preying on its children after an education center apologized.
Speech Academy Asia apologized for sending in people dressed as clowns to loiter outside primary schools and lure students to follow them, an idea so terrible that it鈥檚 difficult to imagine how it got so far.聽
鈥淲e understand parents concerns for the safety and well being of their children. Please do allow us to apologise for the inconvenience caused,鈥 the center today, adding that they are 鈥渃urrently in the midst of discussion to rectify鈥 the clownery.
Police said today that several reports had been filed, though they did not name the education center being investigated. That didn鈥檛 stop people from naming Speech Academy Asia, which has several locations, as being behind the scourge of clowns that have been 鈥渃oming around often.鈥
Not since 2016 has the unfunny terror of roving clowns gripped the internet.
In one photo that raised alarm online, a person in a red plaid shirt with a hat that looked leftover from a 鈥90s rave slouched outside Bedok鈥檚 Temasek Primary School.聽
Speech Academy Asia had not responded to messages seeking comment as of publication time.
鈥淲hoever is doing what I assume to be some viral marketing nonsense, stop it!鈥 Speaker of the Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin wrote online this morning. 鈥淧lease remind your children, DO NOT follow them and to report to the police. It鈥檚 not amusing and just plain dangerous.鈥
The Tao Nan School at Marine Cres sent a letter warning parents of the clown menace and encouraging them to report any encounters to the authorities.聽
鈥淧olice has alerted that there are persons dressed as clowns seen loitering around primary schools and requesting them to follow them. Please remind your child/ward not to be lured by any strangers and keep school informed or call police immediately if your child/ward spot any suspicious characters around the school premises,鈥 its letter said.
After this story was published, Speech Academy Asia confirmed that the act was part of a marketing 鈥渞oadshow鈥 and the person pictured was an employee. No children were harmed, they said.
鈥淲e truly understand your concern for the safety of your children; hence we will be putting an immediate stop to our roadshows.鈥
Update: This story has been updated with a response from Speech Academy Asia.
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