Civil Rights, Crime, Minority Issues, Music, Weirdness

The Circus Goes to Washington: Insane Clown Posse Sues the FBI Over Gang Designation

ICP and its rabid Juggalo fanbase are suing the FBI after being labelled as a gang.

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As our resident Juggalo columnist mentioned in August, the minions of crazed rednecks who worship at the altar of Violent J and Shaggy2Dope — otherwise known as the Insane Clown Posse — are not at all happy that the FBI has labelled them a gang. To defend their honor, as well as their right to get wasted and throw absurd parties in the middle of nowhere, the Juggalo nation has decided to launch a Faygo attack on the Pentagon sue the FBI.

Looks like these clowns aren’t clowning around….

The Detroit Free Press has the scoop on this week’s lawsuit, which came as a result of the FBI’s failure to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request (gavel bang: ABA Journal):

Insane Clown Posse’s newly filed lawsuit against the FBI could be just the first in a series of legal salvos against the federal agency, the group’s attorney said today.

The Detroit rap group filed suit Tuesday in Flint’s federal court, saying the FBI had failed to respond to a request for documents regarding its designation of ICP fans — Juggalos — as a gang.

ICP filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the FBI on Aug. 24, two weeks after announcing it planned to challenge the gang labeling. The FBI failed to produce any documents by the legal 20-day deadline, the group said, prompting Tuesday’s lawsuit to force the agency’s hand.

ICP is represented by Howard Hertz, of Hertz Schram, who said this is probably just the first round of lawsuits to be filed. The group is looking into suing on behalf of specific fans adversely affected by the designation.

Seriously though, how could this admittedly gnarly, rowdy group be categorized as a gang? Sure, 10 years ago, ICP penned F**k the World, but the group and its following have clearly matured. They’ve graduated to more philosophical smash singles, such as Miracles, which expounds on, among other things, the wonders of magnets, shooting stars, and hungry sea fowl:

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I fed a fish to a pelican at Frisco Bay
He tried to eat my cell phone
He ran away

Does that sound like the ramblings of violent criminals? Would the Vice Lords sing about birds eating their phones? No, and besides, real gangsters use burners! This is more like an in-class assignment written by a precocious 5-year-old.

In any case, we may think Juggalos are odd (sorry, we KNOW they are odd), but they deserve a fair shake. If you’re interested in supporting the cause (don’t lie, we know some of you Biglaw associates keep Faygo in your coffee mug and wear an ICP tee under your dress shirt), you can check out Juggalos Fight Back to see how ICP could use your help.

Insane Clown Posse lawyer: Lawsuit against FBI could be start of legal tussle [Detroit Free Press]

Earlier: Insane Clown… Plaintiffs? Juggalos Consider Suing the FBI

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