Meet the Juggalos: America's Faygo-drenched clowns fighting for their right to 'whoop'

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By Anna Freeman

As protestors gathered in Washington to protest the FBI labelling of Juggalos as a 'gang', we asked five people what being a Juggalo means to them

Whoop whoop! is the battle cry of America’s most curious subculture: the Juggalos. As thousands of self-professed 'SCRUBS’ descended on Washington last weekend, a fringe community of Insane Clown Posse devotees shifted the dialogue from misunderstood music fandom to a statement about identity politics.

The FBI labelled Juggalos (and Juggalettes) a ‘hybrid gang’ back in 2011, a ruling that has angered many peace-loving members of this Faygosoaked tribe. So they took to the streets in protest. ‘Family’, for Juggalos, is at the heart of its carnivalesque ideology. Chants of ‘FAM-IL-Y’ are the backing track to any Juggalo gathering. But there’s no denying that the group has a less than-savoury reputation among their peers, and is often perceived as a clownish (pun intended) music cult in popular culture. Until now.

Juggalos have become the unlikely heroes advocating for freedom of speech and protection of the First Amendment. We caught up with some protesters at last weekend’s march to find out what being a Juggalo means to them.