I liked the old days when clowns just appeared menacingly from the shadows, but didn’t chase anyone.

There are only two instances this is acceptable. Haunted houses, and Halloween, but only in party crowds, not chasing single people down the street. Otherwise, these people deserve to be arrested (NOT beaten, just arrested), cited and fined (NOT thrown in jail without their meds, and again, NOT beaten. JFC, I hate cops.)