EL SALVADOR: Salvadoran clowns march against violence

Record ID: 578445

  • Title: EL SALVADOR: Salvadoran clowns march against violence
  • Date: 12th June 2010
  • Summary: SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR (JUNE 10, 2010) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CLOWNS MARCHING DOWN STREET SHOUTING: "We want peace!" CLOWN ON SMALL BIKE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CARLOS ERNESTO FLORES, KNOWN AS CLOWN "CHINBOMBIN," SAYING "They should not discriminate the work of all Salvadoran clowns because our work is very dignified and only because two people who committed a mistake dressed as clowns, they can't blame all the people who work on every bus. Every day, every day the clowns work, getting on the buses, earning the daily bread for their families. It's not possible these people stain our profession." CLOWNS DANCING AND SINGING, "No to violence on the streets" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ROLANDO REYES, KNOWN AS CLOWN "LAPICITO" (LITTLE PENCIL), SAYING "Some friends of others who are not clowns are using our image to do evil things on buses. There was news in El Salvador about two men dressed as clowns who went aboard a bus and asked passengers for money. A passenger on board (the bus) was wearing a gold necklace and earrings and they asked him to hand over his jewelry. He refused and that's why they pulled out the firearm and killed him. And this can't happen in El Salvador." CLOWN BLOWING FIRE FROM MOUTH / PRETENDING TO BRUSH HAIR WITH FIRE CLOWNS POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
  • Embargoed: 27th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: El Salvador
  • Country: El Salvador
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAE254YNIJJI63K5I5ER1F1FO3J
  • Story Text: About 100 hundred clowns marched along streets in San Salvador, El Salvador's capital city on Thursday (June 10) to protest violence in the Central American country.
    The clowns are worried criminals have dressed up as impostors to commit daylight robberies on buses.
    "They should not discriminate the work of all Salvadoran clowns because our work is very dignified and only because two people who committed a mistake dressed as clowns, they can't blame all the people who work on every bus. Every day, every day the clowns work, getting on the buses, earning the daily bread for their families. It's not possible these people stain our profession," said Carlos Ernesto Flores, known as clown "Chinbombin."
    The clowns danced and chanted: "No to violence on the streets!"
    Authorities said two men dressed as clowns boarded a bus asking the passengers for money. A 45-year-old man was shot in the face and abdomen for failing to comply.
    "Some friends of others who are not clowns are using our image to do evil things on buses. There was news in El Salvador about two men dressed as clowns who went aboard a bus and asked passengers for money. A passenger on board (the bus) was wearing a gold necklace and earrings and they asked him to hand over his jewelry. He refused and that's why they pulled out the firearm and killed him. And this can't happen in El Salvador," said Rolando Reyes, known as clown "Lapicito" (Little Pencil).
    The clowns say that after the deadly event they are now rejected by passengers on buses as they perform to earn a few coins to feed their families.
    El Salvador, with a population of 6.8 million, has an average of 13 murders a day, about 70 percent of which were committed by gang members, according to authorities.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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