The coronavirus pandemic has affected how people celebrate holidays like Halloween. The notion that the traditional trick or treating by children will be curtailed has inspired alternatives now, including various drive-through experiences in Los Angeles, California. Watch the report to know more.

Haunted drive-through Halloween in California

South Korea's Seoul Metropolitan Government released Halloween video and posters earlier this week to ensure residents stick to guidelines and avoid a resurgence in cases during the weekend.

'Don't end up a real ghost', warn S.Korea officials worried about virus resurgence

The famous West Coast Halloween parades may be canceled, but residents of Los Angeles can still enjoy some pumpkin fun at a drive through ranch in Calabasas. 'Nights of the Jacks' allows cars to drive through numerous themed displays made from pumpkins. Hollywood, Alice in Wonderland, dinosaurs as well as ghosts and ghouls are all part of the illuminated event at King Gillette Ranch.

Halloween Jack O'Lantern celebration transformed into contactless drive-thru event

The White House is celebrating Halloween, Donald Trump is signing pumpkins, New Yorkers are clashing over ideologies & Borat Sagdiyev has turned political. WION's Palki Sharma gets you the latest updates from US Election 2020.

Gravitas: Why is Borat trending in America?

In the weekend, Garner posted her picture on Instagram.&nbsp;In the photo, the&nbsp;actress can be seen sitting holding a big pumpkin carved with another small pumpkin inside of it&nbsp;which confused everyone as a pregnancy announcement. 
 
As soon as the picture was posted, it attracted a lot of fans thinking she is expecting her 4th child, However, The Golden Globe winner quickly shut down all of those rumours by responding to the comment on her post. ''Still not having more kids. Good grief, I didn’t even see it, I just saw matching smiles'', she wrote.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGxxt9hDWe5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">When you and your jack-o’-lantern share a vibe…🎃🎃🎃</a>

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It's not the first time when she has&nbsp;shut down baby rumours. In September, the actress posted a video from her family farm in Locust Grove, Oklahoma, when one fan decided to ask, 'Are you pregnant?' to which she replied, '''I am 48, have three healthy kids, and am not - and never will be - pregnant,'' 
 
Jennifer is a mom of three children — Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11, and Samuel, 8, whom&nbsp;she shares with ex-husband Ben Affleck.&nbsp;

In the weekend, Garner posted her picture on Instagram. In the photo, the actress can be seen sitting holding a big pumpkin carved with another small pumpkin inside of it which confused everyone as a pregnancy announcement.

In the weekend, Garner posted her picture on Instagram. In the photo, the actress can be seen sitting holding a big pumpkin carved with another small pumpkin inside of it which confused everyone as a pregnancy announcement. As soon as the picture was posted, it attracted a lot of fans thinking she is expecting her 4th child, However, The Golden Globe winner quickly shut down all of those rumours by responding to the comment on her post. ''Still not having more kids. Good grief, I didn’t even see it, I just saw matching smiles'', she wrote. View this post on Instagram When you and your jack-o’-lantern share a vibe…🎃🎃🎃 A post shared by Jennifer Garner (@jennifer.garner) on Oct 25, 2020 at 12:11pm PDT × It's not the first time when she has shut down baby rumours. In September, the actress posted a video from her family farm in Locust Grove, Oklahoma, when one fan decided to ask, 'Are you pregnant?' to which she replied, '''I am 48, have three healthy kids, and am not - and never will be - pregnant,'' Jennifer is a mom of three children — Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11, and Samuel, 8, whom she shares with ex-husband Ben Affleck.

Jennifer Garner quashes pregnancy rumours over the controversial Halloween post

With a bit of rejiggering, President Trump & Melania Trump played host to super heroes, unicorns, princesses & even a miniature version of themselves. The south portico at White House was decorated with shades of autumn & Pumpkins. WION brings you the highlights from The HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION

White House hosts Halloween | U.S. Election 2020 New York Direct

Two children dressed up as US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania at a Halloween event at the White House on Sunday.

They thoroughly enjoyed their mini lookalikes -- as far as the smiles on the faces of the president and first lady go, and posed for a photo with the pair.

The boy's costume included a blonde wig, a black suit, and a red tie, while the little girl wore a white gown.

This year's event took place with extra precautions due to the coronavirus, according to the White House, including a limited guest capacity, required mask-wearing, and social distancing.

A few hours prior to his Halloween bash, Trump was signing pumpkins at an orchard in the state of Maine.

"It'll be on ebay tonight," Trump joked as he autographed them.

Meanwhile, in New York city, a different kind of Halloween was seen altogether -- one that has gripped the whole of United States this entire summer.

There were protests and violence on the streets of New York -- a skirmish broke out between supporters and opponents of Donald Trump on Sunday afternoon.

It began as a virbal dispute, and soon turned physical. There were punches thrown -- eggs were hurled and expletives were yelled.

All of this happened in the heart of Times Square.

Clashes also happened a few miles away in Brooklyn.

But despite all this, many people voted -- hoping to ensure that the US is united once again.

Two children dressed up as US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania at a Halloween event at the White House on Sunday. They thoroughly enjoyed their mini lookalikes -- as far as the smiles on the faces of the president and first lady go, and posed for a photo with the pair.

Two children dressed up as US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania at a Halloween event at the White House on Sunday. They thoroughly enjoyed their mini lookalikes -- as far as the smiles on the faces of the president and first lady go, and posed for a photo with the pair. The boy's costume included a blonde wig, a black suit, and a red tie, while the little girl wore a white gown. This year's event took place with extra precautions due to the coronavirus, according to the White House, including a limited guest capacity, required mask-wearing, and social distancing. A few hours prior to his Halloween bash, Trump was signing pumpkins at an orchard in the state of Maine. "It'll be on ebay tonight," Trump joked as he autographed them. Meanwhile, in New York city, a different kind of Halloween was seen altogether -- one that has gripped the whole of United States this entire summer. There were protests and violence on the streets of New York -- a skirmish broke out between supporters and opponents of Donald Trump on Sunday afternoon. It began as a virbal dispute, and soon turned physical. There were punches thrown -- eggs were hurled and expletives were yelled. All of this happened in the heart of Times Square. Clashes also happened a few miles away in Brooklyn. But despite all this, many people voted -- hoping to ensure that the US is united once again.

Children dress as Trump, his wife at White House Halloween event

U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania were in the spotlight outside the White House on Sunday night (October 25) to host families for a Halloween event -- when suddenly their miniature lookalikes came along and stole the show.

Mini Trump and Melania steal the show at White House Halloween

For Halloween, popular sitcom 'The Simpsons' have taken a shot at US President Donald Trump and listed out 50 reasons on why Americans should not reelect him in the upcoming Presidential elections.

The episode has Homer Simpson heading to the ballot box to cast his vote in the election and he is faced with a list of 'scandals' suggesting why Trump doesn't deserve a second term in the White House.

The 50 reasons listed out include several of Trumps' controversial decisions and statement. 'Put children in cages', 'called Mexicans rapists', 'imitated disabled reporter', 'looks lousy in a tennis outfit', 'can’t get wife to hold hand,' - are some of the reasons that are listed out.

In a clip that has been obtained by Variety, Homes is ready to cast his vote on smaller races but calls the decision on the presidential race a 'stumper'

The clip then shows his daughter Lisa entering the polling booth and asking her dad, ''You're hesitating over President? By all that is decent, how can you forget everything that's happened the last four years?''

Homer, can recall only Faye Dunaway's infamous 2018 Oscar flub. 
'Not sure what you're talking about', admits Homer, before Trump's scandals and indiscretions roll on the screen.&nbsp; The list concludes with final point as, "We haven't even said the worst one."

'The Simpsons' are currently in their 32nd season and the show has been known to voice political opinions.

They were credited with 'predicting' Trump's presidency with an episode showing the business mogul coming down the elevator at Trump Tower to announce he is running.

Here are the 50 points that 'The Simpsons' listed out warning their viewers to not reelect Trump.

Made it okay to shoot hibernating bears

Put children in cages

Called Mexicans rapists

Imitated disabled reporter

Looks lousy in a tennis outfit

Can’t get wife to hold hand

Called third world countries ****holes

Called Tim Cook ‘Tim Apple’

Said Jewish people who vote Democrat are disloyal

Showed top secret documents at Mar-A-Lago restaurant

Called white supremacists ‘fine people’

Leaked classified information to Russian ambassador

Asked the president of Ukraine to investigate the Bidens

Called for China to investigate the Bidens

Walked into the dressing room at Miss Teen USA pageant

Pressed the Australian prime minister to help Barr investigate Mueller

Talked about grabbing *****

Lied about the size of his inauguration

Refused to release tax returns

Gutted the E.P.A.

Confiscated and destroyed interpreter’s notes after meeting with Putin

Tweeted classified photo of Iran missile site

Called Baltimore a ‘disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess’

Described Meryl Streep as ‘over-rated’

Leaked information to the press about the 2017 Manchester arena bombing

Did not attend any White House correspondents’ dinner

Said Megyn Kelly had ‘blood coming out of her whatever’

Called Carly Fiorina ‘horseface’

Ruined impeachment

Brought Ivanka to the G7 summit

Corrupted Congress

Appointed and didn’t fire Betsy DeVos

Put Jared in charge of Mideast

Served McDonald’s to Clemson football team

Destroyed democracy

Lost Hong Kong

Threatened Marie Yovanovitch

Pulled the US out of climate agreement

Allowed bounties on soldiers

Invaded Portland

Withdrew from WHO

Bragged about knowing the date

Commuted sentences

Said to swallow bleach

Person, woman, man, camera, TV

Destroyed post office

Paid $750 in taxes

Wants third term

Wanted to be on Mount Rushmore

And we haven’t even said the worst one

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

For Halloween, popular sitcom 'The Simpsons' have taken a shot at US President Donald Trump and listed out 50 reasons on why Americans should not reelect him in the upcoming Presidential elections.

For Halloween, popular sitcom 'The Simpsons' have taken a shot at US President Donald Trump and listed out 50 reasons on why Americans should not reelect him in the upcoming Presidential elections. The episode has Homer Simpson heading to the ballot box to cast his vote in the election and he is faced with a list of 'scandals' suggesting why Trump doesn't deserve a second term in the White House. The 50 reasons listed out include several of Trumps' controversial decisions and statement. 'Put children in cages', 'called Mexicans rapists', 'imitated disabled reporter', 'looks lousy in a tennis outfit', 'can’t get wife to hold hand,' - are some of the reasons that are listed out. In a clip that has been obtained by Variety, Homes is ready to cast his vote on smaller races but calls the decision on the presidential race a 'stumper' The clip then shows his daughter Lisa entering the polling booth and asking her dad, ''You're hesitating over President? By all that is decent, how can you forget everything that's happened the last four years?'' Homer, can recall only Faye Dunaway's infamous 2018 Oscar flub. 'Not sure what you're talking about', admits Homer, before Trump's scandals and indiscretions roll on the screen. The list concludes with final point as, "We haven't even said the worst one." 'The Simpsons' are currently in their 32nd season and the show has been known to voice political opinions. They were credited with 'predicting' Trump's presidency with an episode showing the business mogul coming down the elevator at Trump Tower to announce he is running. Here are the 50 points that 'The Simpsons' listed out warning their viewers to not reelect Trump. Made it okay to shoot hibernating bears Put children in cages Called Mexicans rapists Imitated disabled reporter Looks lousy in a tennis outfit Can’t get wife to hold hand Called third world countries ****holes Called Tim Cook ‘Tim Apple’ Said Jewish people who vote Democrat are disloyal Showed top secret documents at Mar-A-Lago restaurant Called white supremacists ‘fine people’ Leaked classified information to Russian ambassador Asked the president of Ukraine to investigate the Bidens Called for China to investigate the Bidens Walked into the dressing room at Miss Teen USA pageant Pressed the Australian prime minister to help Barr investigate Mueller Talked about grabbing ***** Lied about the size of his inauguration Refused to release tax returns Gutted the E.P.A. Confiscated and destroyed interpreter’s notes after meeting with Putin Tweeted classified photo of Iran missile site Called Baltimore a ‘disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess’ Described Meryl Streep as ‘over-rated’ Leaked information to the press about the 2017 Manchester arena bombing Did not attend any White House correspondents’ dinner Said Megyn Kelly had ‘blood coming out of her whatever’ Called Carly Fiorina ‘horseface’ Ruined impeachment Brought Ivanka to the G7 summit Corrupted Congress Appointed and didn’t fire Betsy DeVos Put Jared in charge of Mideast Served McDonald’s to Clemson football team Destroyed democracy Lost Hong Kong Threatened Marie Yovanovitch Pulled the US out of climate agreement Allowed bounties on soldiers Invaded Portland Withdrew from WHO Bragged about knowing the date Commuted sentences Said to swallow bleach Person, woman, man, camera, TV Destroyed post office Paid $750 in taxes Wants third term Wanted to be on Mount Rushmore And we haven’t even said the worst one

'The Simpsons' Halloween episode lists out 50 reasons of why one should not reelect Donald Trump

Kim Kardashian proves to be the ultimate queen of Halloween. Two days after celebrating the spectacular holiday, the reality star unveiled yet another extravagant family costume.

Kim Kardashian proves to be the ultimate queen of Halloween. Two days after celebrating the spectacular holiday, the reality star unveiled yet another extravagant family costume. This time, Kim, hubby Kanye West and their four kids dressed up as bugs and fittingly declared themselves the West Worms. Ahead of Halloween, Kim told news agency exclusively that Kanye was in charge of designing some of their costumes. View this post on Instagram West Worms 🐛 🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛 Prelude 1 Set to 🎶 Lorna Anderson A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Nov 2, 2019 at 12:31pm PDT × "I saw him meeting with some animatronics people," the A-lister teased at the time, "glow in the dark things and stuff that moves. As long as it looks good, I'm excited to see what he's planning". View this post on Instagram A bugs life! 🐛🦟🐜 My costume glowed Kanye’s costume moved and was all anamatronics A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Nov 2, 2019 at 3:45pm PDT × While North West, Saint West, Chicago West, and Psalm West looked utterly adorable in their multicoloured worm looks, mom-Kim and especially dad-Kanye went for a more realistic vibe. View this post on Instagram This family pic was such a challenge because Chicago was so scared of Dino! LOL We tried to explain and show her that it was just daddy but she didn’t get the concept yet! So shout out to the photographer for editing her in & making our family Flintstones dreams come true! A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Nov 1, 2019 at 7:56am PDT × The West family also dressed up as the Flintstones for another Halloween-themed photoshoot. As per usual, the Kardashians family went above and beyond for this Halloween.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West dressed their family as bugs for the Halloween

Four people were shot dead at a crowded Halloween costume party at a house in Orinda in Northern California, the county sheriff's office said on Friday.

The shooting took place around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday at a house party with more than 100 people attending in an expensive neighbourhood of Orinda, a small city across the bay from San Francisco, the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Four people died in the shooting and several other people were injured, the statement said. The sheriff's office has not publicly identified the victims or any suspects.

Video footage broadcast by ABC7 News showed a person on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance and young people who appeared to be party guests, including some in costumes, walking in the street outside the house.

"Our whole neighbourhood heard it and then people were screaming and fleeing," Chris Gade, who lives near the house, told reporters, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The party took place in a short-term rental home and had been advertised on social media, the Chronicle reported. The host of the party had rented it through the online listings service Airbnb and had told the house's owner she was holding a reunion for only 12 people, the Chronicle reported, citing the house's owner, Michael Wang.

Airbnb said it had removed the house from its website and had banned the person who had rented it from using the platform, the Chronicle reported.

Four people were shot dead at a crowded Halloween costume party at a house in Orinda in Northern California, the county sheriff's office said on Friday. The shooting took place around 10:45 p.

Four people were shot dead at a crowded Halloween costume party at a house in Orinda in Northern California, the county sheriff's office said on Friday. The shooting took place around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday at a house party with more than 100 people attending in an expensive neighbourhood of Orinda, a small city across the bay from San Francisco, the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Four people died in the shooting and several other people were injured, the statement said. The sheriff's office has not publicly identified the victims or any suspects. Video footage broadcast by ABC7 News showed a person on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance and young people who appeared to be party guests, including some in costumes, walking in the street outside the house. "Our whole neighbourhood heard it and then people were screaming and fleeing," Chris Gade, who lives near the house, told reporters, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The party took place in a short-term rental home and had been advertised on social media, the Chronicle reported. The host of the party had rented it through the online listings service Airbnb and had told the house's owner she was holding a reunion for only 12 people, the Chronicle reported, citing the house's owner, Michael Wang. Airbnb said it had removed the house from its website and had banned the person who had rented it from using the platform, the Chronicle reported.

Four people shot dead at Halloween party at Airbnb rental in California

Hong Kong cleaned up its famed party zone Lan Kwai Fong on Friday after a night of clashes marred <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hong-kong-falls-into-first-recession-in-10-years-as-protests-trade-war-weigh-259138">Halloween festivities</a> when police fired tear gas at protesters and were heckled by fancy dress revellers.

The Asian financial hub faces another mass demonstration on Saturday, the latest in more than five months of unrest.

Black-clad anti-government protesters, wearing the now-banned face masks, mingled with Halloween revellers in the bar district of Lan Kwai Fong on Thursday. It was the first time the party zone had been targeted.

Since June, protesters have taken to the streets of Hong Kong in sometimes violent demonstrations in response to perceived Chinese meddling with the city's promised freedoms.

As colourfully costumed partygoers sipped their drinks, riot police with shields and batons pushed back crowds of revellers and demonstrators who shouted and swore at them to go away.

After lengthy standoff police fired plumes of tear gas at protesters congregating below the Lan Kwai Fong strip in Central, lined with luxury shopping malls, banks and jewellery shops.

Thursday's clashes come ahead of a pro-democracy rally on Saturday at Victoria Park beside the bustling shopping district of Causeway Bay.

Protesters are calling for other cities including New York, Boston, Sydney and London to stand with them on Saturday in calling for China to fully respect Hong Kong's autonomy as enshrined in the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

China on Thursday said it would ensure Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and protect national security in the face of unrest, the ruling Communist Party said after a key meeting of its senior leadership.

Protesters in Hong Kong say Beijing is interfering more and more in the Chinese territory and encroaching on freedoms guaranteed under a "one country, two systems formula".

China denies meddling and has accused foreign governments including the United States and Britain of stirring up trouble.

On Thursday, Hong Kong's High Court issued a temporary injunction banning people from posting or spreading messages online which "incites the use or threat of violence".

The measure is the first time authorities have tried to curb the publishing of comments online, a move critics say sets a dangerous precedent for controlling the internet.

The ban, effective until November 15, applies to any internet platform and specifically names LIHKG and Telegram, two popular tools that protesters use to communicate on.

The measure also comes as data on Thursday confirmed that Hong Kong slid into recession for the first time since the global financial crisis in the third quarter.

While the Sino-US trade war has hampered the city's economy, the protests have dealt a further blow, crippling the retail and tourism sectors.

Retail figures expected later on Friday are expected to be the worst on record.

Hong Kong cleaned up its famed party zone Lan Kwai Fong on Friday after a night of clashes marred Halloween festivities when police fired tear gas at protesters and were heckled by fancy dress revellers.

Hong Kong cleaned up its famed party zone Lan Kwai Fong on Friday after a night of clashes marred Halloween festivities when police fired tear gas at protesters and were heckled by fancy dress revellers. The Asian financial hub faces another mass demonstration on Saturday, the latest in more than five months of unrest. Black-clad anti-government protesters, wearing the now-banned face masks, mingled with Halloween revellers in the bar district of Lan Kwai Fong on Thursday. It was the first time the party zone had been targeted. Since June, protesters have taken to the streets of Hong Kong in sometimes violent demonstrations in response to perceived Chinese meddling with the city's promised freedoms. As colourfully costumed partygoers sipped their drinks, riot police with shields and batons pushed back crowds of revellers and demonstrators who shouted and swore at them to go away. After lengthy standoff police fired plumes of tear gas at protesters congregating below the Lan Kwai Fong strip in Central, lined with luxury shopping malls, banks and jewellery shops. Thursday's clashes come ahead of a pro-democracy rally on Saturday at Victoria Park beside the bustling shopping district of Causeway Bay. Protesters are calling for other cities including New York, Boston, Sydney and London to stand with them on Saturday in calling for China to fully respect Hong Kong's autonomy as enshrined in the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law. China on Thursday said it would ensure Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and protect national security in the face of unrest, the ruling Communist Party said after a key meeting of its senior leadership. Protesters in Hong Kong say Beijing is interfering more and more in the Chinese territory and encroaching on freedoms guaranteed under a "one country, two systems formula". China denies meddling and has accused foreign governments including the United States and Britain of stirring up trouble. On Thursday, Hong Kong's High Court issued a temporary injunction banning people from posting or spreading messages online which "incites the use or threat of violence". The measure is the first time authorities have tried to curb the publishing of comments online, a move critics say sets a dangerous precedent for controlling the internet. The ban, effective until November 15, applies to any internet platform and specifically names LIHKG and Telegram, two popular tools that protesters use to communicate on. The measure also comes as data on Thursday confirmed that Hong Kong slid into recession for the first time since the global financial crisis in the third quarter. While the Sino-US trade war has hampered the city's economy, the protests have dealt a further blow, crippling the retail and tourism sectors. Retail figures expected later on Friday are expected to be the worst on record.

Hong Kong braces for mass rally over weekend after Halloween clashes

Pro-democracy protesters targeted Hong Kong's busiest nightlife district on Halloween - defying the recently imposed mask ban. Here is how Hong Kong and the rest of the world celebrated Halloween.

Gravitas: Hong Kong Halloween protesters defy mask ban

Hong Kong police fired tear gas at protesters gathered at a subway station in Kowloon on Thursday night. The demonstrators gathered there to mark two months since riot police stormed a subway car at Prince Edward station and beat passengers with batons and pepper spray in scenes that inflamed tensions.

Teargas fired at Hong Kong Halloween protests

At least four people were killed and several wounded in a shooting at a Halloween party near San Francisco, local authorities and media reported.

The shooting took place at a rented Airbnb home around Thursday night in Orinda, around 30 kms&nbsp;northeast of San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area news.

"Orinda homicide update - four fatalities, several injuries," the Contra Costa County sheriff's office tweeted early Friday.

Three people were killed and nine others wounded in a Halloween party south of Los Angeles late Tuesday, local media reported.

At least four people were killed and several wounded in a shooting at a Halloween party near San Francisco, local authorities and media reported. The shooting took place at a rented Airbnb home around Thursday night in Orinda, around 30 kms northeast of San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area news.

At least four people were killed and several wounded in a shooting at a Halloween party near San Francisco, local authorities and media reported. The shooting took place at a rented Airbnb home around Thursday night in Orinda, around 30 kms northeast of San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area news. "Orinda homicide update - four fatalities, several injuries," the Contra Costa County sheriff's office tweeted early Friday. Three people were killed and nine others wounded in a Halloween party south of Los Angeles late Tuesday, local media reported.

Four killed in Halloween shooting in California

Thousands of revellers dressed in terror-inducing costumes and make-up brought frightful scenes to West Hollywood's Santa Monica Boulevard on Thursday night (October 31) for the city's annual Halloween carnival.

One man, spattered in fake blood and carrying an axe, appeared to have his lips sewn together with wire while another was painted head to toe in blue with enormous expandable wings.

Believed to be the largest Halloween carnival in the world, the West Hollywood Halloween party draws thousands to Los Angeles from all over the world in some of the most outrageous and elaborate costumes.

The impeachment efforts against U.S. President Donald Trump were an inspiration for one group of friends who came out in white T-shirts emblazoned with "whistleblower" on them while they blew whistles at a man wearing a Donald Trump mask.

Others wore more traditional Halloween costumes of zombies and witches while one couple sat on a rug in the middle of the carnival dressed as Aladdin and Princess Jasmine.

The West Hollywood Halloween carnival runs the length of Santa Monica Boulevard in the incorporated city of West Hollywood, which rests between Beverly Hills and the Hollywood neighbourhood of Los Angeles.

Thousands of revellers dressed in terror-inducing costumes and make-up brought frightful scenes to West Hollywood's Santa Monica Boulevard on Thursday night (October 31) for the city's annual Halloween carnival.

Thousands of revellers dressed in terror-inducing costumes and make-up brought frightful scenes to West Hollywood's Santa Monica Boulevard on Thursday night (October 31) for the city's annual Halloween carnival. One man, spattered in fake blood and carrying an axe, appeared to have his lips sewn together with wire while another was painted head to toe in blue with enormous expandable wings. Believed to be the largest Halloween carnival in the world, the West Hollywood Halloween party draws thousands to Los Angeles from all over the world in some of the most outrageous and elaborate costumes. The impeachment efforts against U.S. President Donald Trump were an inspiration for one group of friends who came out in white T-shirts emblazoned with "whistleblower" on them while they blew whistles at a man wearing a Donald Trump mask. Others wore more traditional Halloween costumes of zombies and witches while one couple sat on a rug in the middle of the carnival dressed as Aladdin and Princess Jasmine. The West Hollywood Halloween carnival runs the length of Santa Monica Boulevard in the incorporated city of West Hollywood, which rests between Beverly Hills and the Hollywood neighbourhood of Los Angeles.

Scenes from hell in West Hollywood as Halloween comes to town

Hong Kong democracy protesters are planning to hit the streets on Thursday night decked in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-mask-ban-challenged-in-court-ahead-of-halloween-rally-258912">Halloween masks</a> lampooning the city's pro-Beijing leaders, their latest act of defiance against a recent emergency law banning face coverings.

Online forums used to organise the largely leaderless movement are encouraging supporters to descend on one of the city's most popular party streets while police have said they will ramp up spot checks and searches.

The international finance hub has been upended by nearly five months of huge, often violent, pro-democracy protests in which participants routinely use masks to hide their identities.

Earlier this month city leader Carrie Lam invoked colonial-era legislation for the first time in more than fifty years to outlaw face coverings at rallies.

The move was seen as a watershed legal moment for the city since its 1997 return by Britain to China -- but the ban has done little to stop the protests or dissuade people from wearing masks.

Watch: Five months of Hong Kong protests take a toll on the economy

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Protesters have been circulating downloadable face masks for Thursday evening.&nbsp;

One shows Chief Executive Carrie Lam as Batman's nemesis The Joker, another has Secretary for Justice Theresa Cheng looking like Guy Fawkes.&nbsp;

There is also a mask that blends Chinese president Xi Jinping's face with Winnie the Pooh -- AA Milne's "bear of little brain" who is frequently used to lampoon the authoritarian leader and is routinely censored on the mainland as a result.

"This is not a celebration or a party," organisers of the unsanctioned protest wrote on a messaging group. "We are using Halloween to express our demands and dissatisfaction."

Court challenge

Apple Daily, the city's most openly pro-democracy newspaper, also printed a front-page on Thursday with a cutout mask of a policeman and a headline suggesting officers were now "more scary than ghosts".&nbsp;

A police source told AFP their presence would be ramped up around Lan Kwai Fong, a street packed with nightclubs that traditionally holds the city's largest Halloween party.

Officers would demand people remove their masks or facepaint if they were suspected protesters, the source added.

A major subway station nearby will also close at 9 pm while a theme park on the other side of the main island said it was cancelling its annual Halloween-themed party.

Earlier on Thursday activists went to court to challenge the emergency law.

"This is a duel between the rule of law and totalitarianism," lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters outside the High Court at the start of a two-day hearing.

The sweeping 1922 emergency law was passed in a single day by then colonial master Britain to deal with striking workers and allows the city's leader to make "any regulations whatsoever" in a time of emergency or public danger.

It was last used by the British in 1967 to help suppress Maoist-backed leftist riots that raged for nearly a year and killed some 50 people.

Lam's use of the law was controversial because it bypassed the Legislative Council, the partially-elected chamber that approves Hong Kong's laws.&nbsp;

Critics said the move also undermined the city's reputation for being a dependable business and legal hub at a time of growing concern over Beijing's control of the city.

The legal challengers also argue it contradicts the city's more recently passed Bill of Rights which states that restrictions on core freedoms can only be justified if there is an emergency or the "life of the nation" is at stake.

When Lam announced the mask ban in early October she publicly declared that the city was not in a state of emergency.

Hong Kong democracy protesters are planning to hit the streets on Thursday night decked in Halloween masks lampooning the city's pro-Beijing leaders, their latest act of defiance against a recent emergency law banning face coverings.

Hong Kong democracy protesters are planning to hit the streets on Thursday night decked in Halloween masks lampooning the city's pro-Beijing leaders, their latest act of defiance against a recent emergency law banning face coverings. Online forums used to organise the largely leaderless movement are encouraging supporters to descend on one of the city's most popular party streets while police have said they will ramp up spot checks and searches. The international finance hub has been upended by nearly five months of huge, often violent, pro-democracy protests in which participants routinely use masks to hide their identities. Earlier this month city leader Carrie Lam invoked colonial-era legislation for the first time in more than fifty years to outlaw face coverings at rallies. The move was seen as a watershed legal moment for the city since its 1997 return by Britain to China -- but the ban has done little to stop the protests or dissuade people from wearing masks. Watch: Five months of Hong Kong protests take a toll on the economy × Protesters have been circulating downloadable face masks for Thursday evening. One shows Chief Executive Carrie Lam as Batman's nemesis The Joker, another has Secretary for Justice Theresa Cheng looking like Guy Fawkes. There is also a mask that blends Chinese president Xi Jinping's face with Winnie the Pooh -- AA Milne's "bear of little brain" who is frequently used to lampoon the authoritarian leader and is routinely censored on the mainland as a result. "This is not a celebration or a party," organisers of the unsanctioned protest wrote on a messaging group. "We are using Halloween to express our demands and dissatisfaction." Court challenge Apple Daily, the city's most openly pro-democracy newspaper, also printed a front-page on Thursday with a cutout mask of a policeman and a headline suggesting officers were now "more scary than ghosts". A police source told AFP their presence would be ramped up around Lan Kwai Fong, a street packed with nightclubs that traditionally holds the city's largest Halloween party. Officers would demand people remove their masks or facepaint if they were suspected protesters, the source added. A major subway station nearby will also close at 9 pm while a theme park on the other side of the main island said it was cancelling its annual Halloween-themed party. Earlier on Thursday activists went to court to challenge the emergency law. "This is a duel between the rule of law and totalitarianism," lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters outside the High Court at the start of a two-day hearing. The sweeping 1922 emergency law was passed in a single day by then colonial master Britain to deal with striking workers and allows the city's leader to make "any regulations whatsoever" in a time of emergency or public danger. It was last used by the British in 1967 to help suppress Maoist-backed leftist riots that raged for nearly a year and killed some 50 people. Lam's use of the law was controversial because it bypassed the Legislative Council, the partially-elected chamber that approves Hong Kong's laws. Critics said the move also undermined the city's reputation for being a dependable business and legal hub at a time of growing concern over Beijing's control of the city. The legal challengers also argue it contradicts the city's more recently passed Bill of Rights which states that restrictions on core freedoms can only be justified if there is an emergency or the "life of the nation" is at stake. When Lam announced the mask ban in early October she publicly declared that the city was not in a state of emergency.

Hong Kong activists plan Halloween-themed mask protest

Hong Kong police fired tear gas to break up <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activists-plan-halloween-themed-mask-protest-258966">anti-government protests</a> in the densely populated Kowloon district of Mong Kok on Thursday, as masked demonstrators gathered to join Halloween fancy-dress clubbers on the other side of the harbour.

Hundreds of protesters, many dressed all in black and wearing now-banned face masks, knelt in the key artery of Nathan Road and took cover behind umbrellas, angry at a violent police crackdown on unrest there two months ago.

Some shone lasers at police shouting "Hong Kong people resist" as others built barricades in the road with rubbish bins, plastic seats and other debris, a familiar tactic in five months of often violent unrest.

They blocked off intersections on Nathan Road targeted by activists last weekend, smashed lampposts and pried away bricks and other debris from the paths and shop fronts, hidden from view by others holding umbrellas.

"Having given repeated warnings to the protesters in vain, the police officers have deployed tear gas and will use minimum necessary force to disperse protesters," police said in a statement.

The demonstrators on the main island were gathering at Victoria Park in the Causeway Bay shopping district to march to the hilly, narrow streets of the Lan Kwai Fong bar district above Central, the scene of a deadly New Year's stampede nearly 27 years ago.

Some were wearing Guy Fawkes masks and others were made up as clowns. One reveller already in Lan Kwai Fong was dressed in red, apparently modelled on the star character in the dark Hollywood hit movie "Joker".

"Stop blocking the road. Fuck you," they shouted at the police. "We want to drink. Can't you let people have some fun for once?"

One reveller with the clown dressed in red, who gave his name as Gordon, 43, said: “I hope no police, no war tonight. Everyone is happy” as he walked away shouting “liberate Hong Kong”.

Police have banned the march and said they would close roads, including the short Lan Kwai Fong street itself, until Friday morning to "facilitate the public celebrating." It was not immediately clear how they would distinguish between party-goers and protesters.

It is the first time protesters have targeted the party district in five months of increasingly violent, anti-government unrest. Typically, weekends and celebrations like Halloween see hordes of revellers spilling out of the bars and clubs on to the streets.

A stampede during New Year celebrations at the end of 1992, when thousands had gathered on streets slippery with beer and champagne, killed at least 20 people and wounded scores.

Police, who have been warning for days of the threat to public order and safety, were deploying 3,000 riot officers and three water cannon outside government offices near the route, according to media.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-mask-ban-challenged-in-court-ahead-of-halloween-rally-258912">Hong Kong</a>, as widely expected, slid into recession for the first time since the global financial crisis in the third quarter, data confirmed on Thursday, weighed down by increasingly violent anti-government protests and the protracted US-China trade war.

Hong Kong's central bank also cut rates on Thursday in step with the US&nbsp;Federal Reserve. 
 
Britain urges restraint

Pressed on government plans to relieve the hit to businesses in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protesters-to-target-party-district-during-halloween-258804">Hong Kong</a> from the protests, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam told a conference the circumstances warranted "exceptional" measures.

"If we still act in the same conventional mode as if the business is usual and life is normal, then we are not being very responsible," she said.

Her administration has pledged around $2.68 billion&nbsp;of financial aid for business since August, from rent to fuel subsidies.

The protesters are angry at what they see as Beijing's increasing interference in Hong Kong, which returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula intended to guarantee freedoms not seen on the mainland.

China denies meddling and has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of stirring up trouble.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Thursday Hong Kong should seek ways to de-escalate tension and find a political resolution, calling on both protesters and authorities to show restraint.

China said after a meeting of its top leadership that it would safeguard Hong Kong's prosperity and protect national security.

Some protesters in Hong Kong have thrown petrol bombs at police, lit fires and trashed government buildings and businesses, especially those seen as pro-Beijing, during recent demonstrations.

Police have responded with tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, water cannon and several live rounds.

Hong Kong's subway operator MTR Corp, which has also been targeted by protesters, said it would shut some stations earlier than usual. Central station, a few minutes walk downhill from Lan Kwai Fong, will shut by 9 pm.

Hong Kong police fired tear gas to break up anti-government protests in the densely populated Kowloon district of Mong Kok on Thursday, as masked demonstrators gathered to join Halloween fancy-dress clubbers on the other side of the harbour.

Hong Kong police fired tear gas to break up anti-government protests in the densely populated Kowloon district of Mong Kok on Thursday, as masked demonstrators gathered to join Halloween fancy-dress clubbers on the other side of the harbour. Hundreds of protesters, many dressed all in black and wearing now-banned face masks, knelt in the key artery of Nathan Road and took cover behind umbrellas, angry at a violent police crackdown on unrest there two months ago. Some shone lasers at police shouting "Hong Kong people resist" as others built barricades in the road with rubbish bins, plastic seats and other debris, a familiar tactic in five months of often violent unrest. They blocked off intersections on Nathan Road targeted by activists last weekend, smashed lampposts and pried away bricks and other debris from the paths and shop fronts, hidden from view by others holding umbrellas. "Having given repeated warnings to the protesters in vain, the police officers have deployed tear gas and will use minimum necessary force to disperse protesters," police said in a statement. The demonstrators on the main island were gathering at Victoria Park in the Causeway Bay shopping district to march to the hilly, narrow streets of the Lan Kwai Fong bar district above Central, the scene of a deadly New Year's stampede nearly 27 years ago. Some were wearing Guy Fawkes masks and others were made up as clowns. One reveller already in Lan Kwai Fong was dressed in red, apparently modelled on the star character in the dark Hollywood hit movie "Joker". "Stop blocking the road. Fuck you," they shouted at the police. "We want to drink. Can't you let people have some fun for once?" One reveller with the clown dressed in red, who gave his name as Gordon, 43, said: “I hope no police, no war tonight. Everyone is happy” as he walked away shouting “liberate Hong Kong”. Police have banned the march and said they would close roads, including the short Lan Kwai Fong street itself, until Friday morning to "facilitate the public celebrating." It was not immediately clear how they would distinguish between party-goers and protesters. It is the first time protesters have targeted the party district in five months of increasingly violent, anti-government unrest. Typically, weekends and celebrations like Halloween see hordes of revellers spilling out of the bars and clubs on to the streets. A stampede during New Year celebrations at the end of 1992, when thousands had gathered on streets slippery with beer and champagne, killed at least 20 people and wounded scores. Police, who have been warning for days of the threat to public order and safety, were deploying 3,000 riot officers and three water cannon outside government offices near the route, according to media. Hong Kong, as widely expected, slid into recession for the first time since the global financial crisis in the third quarter, data confirmed on Thursday, weighed down by increasingly violent anti-government protests and the protracted US-China trade war. Hong Kong's central bank also cut rates on Thursday in step with the US Federal Reserve. Britain urges restraint Pressed on government plans to relieve the hit to businesses in Hong Kong from the protests, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam told a conference the circumstances warranted "exceptional" measures. "If we still act in the same conventional mode as if the business is usual and life is normal, then we are not being very responsible," she said. Her administration has pledged around $2.68 billion of financial aid for business since August, from rent to fuel subsidies. The protesters are angry at what they see as Beijing's increasing interference in Hong Kong, which returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula intended to guarantee freedoms not seen on the mainland. China denies meddling and has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of stirring up trouble. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Thursday Hong Kong should seek ways to de-escalate tension and find a political resolution, calling on both protesters and authorities to show restraint. China said after a meeting of its top leadership that it would safeguard Hong Kong's prosperity and protect national security. Some protesters in Hong Kong have thrown petrol bombs at police, lit fires and trashed government buildings and businesses, especially those seen as pro-Beijing, during recent demonstrations. Police have responded with tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, water cannon and several live rounds. Hong Kong's subway operator MTR Corp, which has also been targeted by protesters, said it would shut some stations earlier than usual. Central station, a few minutes walk downhill from Lan Kwai Fong, will shut by 9 pm.

Hong Kong police fire tear gas in Kowloon as protesters across harbour gatecrash Halloween

After sharing glimpses of her spooky Halloween attire, Ariana Grande finally unveiled her complete look in a recent post. Inspired by a 1960 `The Twilight Zone` episode called `Eye of the Beholder,` the 26-year-old singer dressed as a woman in the episode who undergoes a series of surgeries to look "normal," reported E-News.

After sharing glimpses of her spooky Halloween attire, Ariana Grande finally unveiled her complete look in a recent post. Inspired by a 1960 `The Twilight Zone` episode called `Eye of the Beholder,` the 26-year-old singer dressed as a woman in the episode who undergoes a series of surgeries to look "normal," reported E-News. But when her facial bandages are removed and it`s revealed that she`s been beautiful all along, the surgeons--whose body parts are disfigured and pig-like--deem the surgery a fail. Much to the woman`s horror, she`s then exiled to a village where such pretty features aren`t so out of the ordinary. Ariana added her own unique spin to the look by rocking her signature ponytail and sexily posing for the camera." final procedure was a success," the singer captioned the eerie picture on Instagram. View this post on Instagram eye of the beholder 👁 🖤 A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on Oct 30, 2019 at 3:48pm PDT × View this post on Instagram final procedure was a success A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on Oct 30, 2019 at 4:25pm PDT × View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on Oct 28, 2019 at 9:44am PDT × The 'One Last Time' singer was not the only one to go out of the box for the Halloween eve, even Karlie Kloss went just as above and beyond as a doll which will send chills down your spine.

Ariana Grande's 'The Twilight Zone' inspired Halloween look will freak you out

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-shops-shutter-as-months-of-protest-darken-economic-gloom-258593">Hong Kong</a> is bracing for a rowdy and possibly hugely dangerous Halloween on Thursday, when thousands of pro-democracy protesters, many wearing banned face masks, plan to combine with fancy-dress clubbers in the party district of Lan Kwai Fong.

The protesters say they will march, without police permission, from a park in the Causeway Bay shopping district through the heaving bar streets of Wan Chai to the steep, narrow foothills of the Peak above Central.

Every weekend, the bars in Lan Kwai Fong spill on to the streets office goers, clubbers and expatriate families, even without the activists who have thrown petrol bombs at police, set fires and trashed buildings during five months of unrest.

A stampede at midnight on New Year's Eve in 1992, when thousands had gathered, killed at least 20 and wounded scores.

This month Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam banned protesters from wearing face masks under a resuscitated British colonial-era emergency law, but few have taken any notice.

And Halloween masks have not been banned, which will make it difficult for police to identify protesters.

"Based on past experience, such unauthorised assembly will impose a serious threat to public order and public safety," police said in a statement.

"Members of the public should avoid travelling to the concerned area when public disorder occurs."

Protesters are angry at what they see as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hong-kong-enters-recession-as-protests-show-no-sign-of-relenting-258425">Beijing's increasing interference in Hong Kong</a>, which returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula intended to guarantee freedoms not seen on the mainland. Some are increasingly focusing their fury on mainland Chinese in the city.

China denies meddling and has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of stirring up trouble.

Lam said she expected negative economic growth in the Asian financial hub this year, in part as a result of the unrest.

"The increasingly violent reality since June is hurting Hong Kong's economy," Lam said in a speech on Wednesday. "...what started off as peaceful protests, a hallmark of Hong Kong's rights and freedoms, have turned into violent acts by rioters."

With visitors deterred by months of violence, many small firms across the city have already closed or are struggling to turn a profit.

Lam's gloomy forecast came two days after Financial Secretary Paul Chan said Hong Kong had slipped into a technical recession, meaning two successive quarters of contraction. That is expected to be confirmed by Thursday's third-quarter GDP data.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-erupt-in-hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-to-clear-rally-258401">The protests, which started over a now-withdrawn extradition bill</a>, have plunged the city into its biggest crisis in decades and also pose the biggest populist challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Hong Kong is bracing for a rowdy and possibly hugely dangerous Halloween on Thursday, when thousands of pro-democracy protesters, many wearing banned face masks, plan to combine with fancy-dress clubbers in the party district of Lan Kwai Fong.

Hong Kong is bracing for a rowdy and possibly hugely dangerous Halloween on Thursday, when thousands of pro-democracy protesters, many wearing banned face masks, plan to combine with fancy-dress clubbers in the party district of Lan Kwai Fong. The protesters say they will march, without police permission, from a park in the Causeway Bay shopping district through the heaving bar streets of Wan Chai to the steep, narrow foothills of the Peak above Central. Every weekend, the bars in Lan Kwai Fong spill on to the streets office goers, clubbers and expatriate families, even without the activists who have thrown petrol bombs at police, set fires and trashed buildings during five months of unrest. A stampede at midnight on New Year's Eve in 1992, when thousands had gathered, killed at least 20 and wounded scores. This month Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam banned protesters from wearing face masks under a resuscitated British colonial-era emergency law, but few have taken any notice. And Halloween masks have not been banned, which will make it difficult for police to identify protesters. "Based on past experience, such unauthorised assembly will impose a serious threat to public order and public safety," police said in a statement. "Members of the public should avoid travelling to the concerned area when public disorder occurs." Protesters are angry at what they see as Beijing's increasing interference in Hong Kong, which returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula intended to guarantee freedoms not seen on the mainland. Some are increasingly focusing their fury on mainland Chinese in the city. China denies meddling and has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of stirring up trouble. Lam said she expected negative economic growth in the Asian financial hub this year, in part as a result of the unrest. "The increasingly violent reality since June is hurting Hong Kong's economy," Lam said in a speech on Wednesday. "...what started off as peaceful protests, a hallmark of Hong Kong's rights and freedoms, have turned into violent acts by rioters." With visitors deterred by months of violence, many small firms across the city have already closed or are struggling to turn a profit. Lam's gloomy forecast came two days after Financial Secretary Paul Chan said Hong Kong had slipped into a technical recession, meaning two successive quarters of contraction. That is expected to be confirmed by Thursday's third-quarter GDP data. The protests, which started over a now-withdrawn extradition bill, have plunged the city into its biggest crisis in decades and also pose the biggest populist challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Hong Kong protesters to target party district during Halloween

Thousands of merry-makers, many dressed in elaborate Halloween costumes, paraded through lower Manhattan on Tuesday, undeterred by the attack that unfolded just hours earlier when a driver mowed down dozens of people on a bike path a few blocks away.

Revelers who joined the 44th annual Village Halloween Parade said they were painfully aware that eight people were killed in what authorities say was an act of terrorism but carried on with the festivities to show fortitude and solidarity with the victims.&nbsp;

&quot;You gotta live your life, you can&rsquo;t let things like this discourage you,&rdquo; said 60-year old Michael Spain along the route. &ldquo;As sobering as they are, you still gotta come out and enjoy stuff like this - or they win.&quot;

Thousands of people in costumes took part in the annual celebration along Greenwich Village&#39;s Sixth Avenue, typically one of the nation&#39;s largest Halloween parades. Hundreds of uniformed police officers maintained a steady presence throughout the mile-long route.

&quot;Out of an abundance of caution, you will see an increase of NYPD personnel throughout NYC, including the Halloween Parade,&quot; the New York City Police Department said on Twitter.

Among the participants were a Rio de Janeiro-style group with the drums, witches and ghosts, and a massive D&iacute;a de los Muertos group with 12-foot-tall skeletons.

&quot;Tonight we&#39;re at a Halloween parade to say, you didn&#39;t win and you didn&#39;t affect us, and we&#39;re out and we&#39;re celebrating and we&#39;re doing what New Yorkers do and we&#39;re living our lives because we&#39;re not going to allow the terrorists to win. Period,&quot; New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told CNN.

&quot;And that&#39;s why I&#39;m here marching in the parade, not because I have a great costume.&quot; said Cuomo, who was dressed in a suit and tie.

Jorge Arias, the owner of a wine shop and an adjacent bar near King Street, said that the crowd was slightly smaller than in past years but not by much.&nbsp;

&ldquo;By 5 o&rsquo;clock the street was a bit empty and last year it was already full,&rdquo; Arias, 42, said in Spanish. &quot;But now the crowds are more normal compared to last year. Maybe a little less, but almost the same.&rdquo;

Revelers who joined the 44th annual Village Halloween Parade said they were painfully aware that eight people were killed in what authorities say was an act of terrorism but carried on with the festivities to show fortitude and solidarity with the victims.

Thousands of merry-makers, many dressed in elaborate Halloween costumes, paraded through lower Manhattan on Tuesday, undeterred by the attack that unfolded just hours earlier when a driver mowed down dozens of people on a bike path a few blocks away. Revelers who joined the 44th annual Village Halloween Parade said they were painfully aware that eight people were killed in what authorities say was an act of terrorism but carried on with the festivities to show fortitude and solidarity with the victims. "You gotta live your life, you can’t let things like this discourage you,” said 60-year old Michael Spain along the route. “As sobering as they are, you still gotta come out and enjoy stuff like this - or they win." Thousands of people in costumes took part in the annual celebration along Greenwich Village's Sixth Avenue, typically one of the nation's largest Halloween parades. Hundreds of uniformed police officers maintained a steady presence throughout the mile-long route. "Out of an abundance of caution, you will see an increase of NYPD personnel throughout NYC, including the Halloween Parade," the New York City Police Department said on Twitter. Among the participants were a Rio de Janeiro-style group with the drums, witches and ghosts, and a massive Día de los Muertos group with 12-foot-tall skeletons. "Tonight we're at a Halloween parade to say, you didn't win and you didn't affect us, and we're out and we're celebrating and we're doing what New Yorkers do and we're living our lives because we're not going to allow the terrorists to win. Period," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told CNN. "And that's why I'm here marching in the parade, not because I have a great costume." said Cuomo, who was dressed in a suit and tie. Jorge Arias, the owner of a wine shop and an adjacent bar near King Street, said that the crowd was slightly smaller than in past years but not by much. “By 5 o’clock the street was a bit empty and last year it was already full,” Arias, 42, said in Spanish. "But now the crowds are more normal compared to last year. Maybe a little less, but almost the same.”

Exuberant and defiant, New Yorkers flock to Halloween parade despite attack

It was supposed to be a day of fun -&nbsp;trick-or-treating in fancy dress on the annual candy haul. But Halloween turned into a nightmare after a truck driver killed eight people in one of New York&#39;s trendiest neighborhoods.

In the wake of what New York&#39;s mayor called a &quot;cowardly act of terror,&quot; children were evacuated from one nearby elementary school with nervous parents after a 29-year-old man mowed down pedestrians and cyclists before smashing into a school bus.

&quot;It was terrible. We&#39;re here every day. This is our route to school, where we walk the dog, go to the supermarket,&quot; said Yvonne Villiguer, 52, whose nine-year-old son is dressed as the Grim Reaper, clutching a scythe.

October 31 normally sees TriBeCa, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan home to celebrities, wealthy families, gleaming glass condo buildings and luxury boutiques, revel in Halloween festivities.

But this year, children went door to door, sidestepping police and news crews a stone&#39;s throw away and hours after a 29-year-old terror suspect, identified by American television networks as an Uzbek citizen from Florida, wrought death.

Villiguer&#39;s initial plan was to take her son through the streets for the customary haul of candy. But in the aftermath of the attack, they restricted themselves to the nearby apartment building of some friends.

&quot;This has ruined the holiday,&quot; said nearby 41-year-old doorman Conce Dadd on Warren Street, just steps from the scene of the attack as he opens and closes the door to children dressed as Harry Potter and a sumo wrestler.

&quot;That&#39;s life. It can happen any moment. There&#39;s nothing you can do,&quot; he sighed philosophically. &quot;Only thing you can do is to punish the guy who did it.&quot;

&#39;Super nervous&#39;

Angelica Pinera, a 30-year-old mother in a caramel coat ran after girls aged 10 to 12 dressed up as Alice in Wonderland, Minnie the Mouse and Little Bo Beep.&nbsp;

The street was dark save for the bright lights of police cars and fire trucks. Many were afraid to go out asking for sweets when they heard about the attack, but children&#39;s excitement built up all year won over for others.

&quot;I&#39;m super nervous and sad,&quot; admitted Pinera, outside a primary school that closed its doors for safety.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s the last straw when something like that happens. This day is so special and with the kids near the school, it&#39;s worrisome.&quot;

Ilke Mancov, who lives nearby, said he was very worried about his family when he heard about the attack -&nbsp;while he was at work.

Some hours later, he kept a watchful eye as he stepped with his children -- one Little Red Riding Hood and one Wolf -&nbsp;past the police cordon so they could fill their bags with chocolate and candy.

&quot;We live a block away from where everything happened, so I was very worried,&quot; the father in his 30s told AFP.

&quot;There are a lot of kids because this happened in between two schools,&quot; Mancov said, pointing to an elementary school on one side and a high school on the other.

&quot;It hits home. New York is not the type of place where you can do anything. In fact, it is surprising that it hasn&#39;t happened more often,&quot; he added.

&quot;It&#39;s just how it is. It&#39;s the world we live in. If it had happened an hour later, all the kids would have been coming out of school and it would have been much much worse.&quot;

It was supposed to be a day of fun - trick-or-treating in fancy dress on the annual candy haul. But Halloween turned into a nightmare after a truck driver killed eight people in one of New York's trendiest neighborhoods.

It was supposed to be a day of fun - trick-or-treating in fancy dress on the annual candy haul. But Halloween turned into a nightmare after a truck driver killed eight people in one of New York's trendiest neighborhoods. In the wake of what New York's mayor called a "cowardly act of terror," children were evacuated from one nearby elementary school with nervous parents after a 29-year-old man mowed down pedestrians and cyclists before smashing into a school bus. "It was terrible. We're here every day. This is our route to school, where we walk the dog, go to the supermarket," said Yvonne Villiguer, 52, whose nine-year-old son is dressed as the Grim Reaper, clutching a scythe. October 31 normally sees TriBeCa, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan home to celebrities, wealthy families, gleaming glass condo buildings and luxury boutiques, revel in Halloween festivities. But this year, children went door to door, sidestepping police and news crews a stone's throw away and hours after a 29-year-old terror suspect, identified by American television networks as an Uzbek citizen from Florida, wrought death. Villiguer's initial plan was to take her son through the streets for the customary haul of candy. But in the aftermath of the attack, they restricted themselves to the nearby apartment building of some friends. "This has ruined the holiday," said nearby 41-year-old doorman Conce Dadd on Warren Street, just steps from the scene of the attack as he opens and closes the door to children dressed as Harry Potter and a sumo wrestler. "That's life. It can happen any moment. There's nothing you can do," he sighed philosophically. "Only thing you can do is to punish the guy who did it." 'Super nervous' Angelica Pinera, a 30-year-old mother in a caramel coat ran after girls aged 10 to 12 dressed up as Alice in Wonderland, Minnie the Mouse and Little Bo Beep. The street was dark save for the bright lights of police cars and fire trucks. Many were afraid to go out asking for sweets when they heard about the attack, but children's excitement built up all year won over for others. "I'm super nervous and sad," admitted Pinera, outside a primary school that closed its doors for safety. "It's the last straw when something like that happens. This day is so special and with the kids near the school, it's worrisome." Ilke Mancov, who lives nearby, said he was very worried about his family when he heard about the attack - while he was at work. Some hours later, he kept a watchful eye as he stepped with his children -- one Little Red Riding Hood and one Wolf - past the police cordon so they could fill their bags with chocolate and candy. "We live a block away from where everything happened, so I was very worried," the father in his 30s told AFP. "There are a lot of kids because this happened in between two schools," Mancov said, pointing to an elementary school on one side and a high school on the other. "It hits home. New York is not the type of place where you can do anything. In fact, it is surprising that it hasn't happened more often," he added. "It's just how it is. It's the world we live in. If it had happened an hour later, all the kids would have been coming out of school and it would have been much much worse."

New York attack 'ruins' Halloween for nervous families

Meet Momo Lu an adorable kid from Taiwan, who spends an entire&nbsp;year to prepare for the Halloween festival.

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Her last year costume went viral and surprised everyone and when she went to the school her classmates started crying.&nbsp; She embodied No-Face from the film Spirited Away and that was much appreciated.&nbsp;

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This year Momo along with her younger sister Miemie dressed up as Ryuk and paid tribute to &quot;Death Note&quot;.

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Death Note is a Japanese manga series, it is about Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook from a Shinigami named Ryuk that grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose name and face he knows. The series centers around Light&#39;s attempts to create and rule a world &quot;cleansed of evil&quot; as &quot;God&quot; using the notebook, and the efforts of a detective known as L to stop him.

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The duo in Ryuk and L costumes nailed in the costume of the characters, most notably, L&rsquo;s iconic squat!

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Her creativity and zest for the festival are definitely held in high regard and let&#39;s wait what she wears next year.

Watch: Momo&#39;idea of Halloween celebration in her school.

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Source:&nbsp;@elmo721007

Her last year costume went viral and surprised everyone and when she went to the school her classmates started crying. She embodied No-Face from the film Spirited Away and that was much appreciated.

Meet Momo Lu an adorable kid from Taiwan, who spends an entire year to prepare for the Halloween festival. Meng Meng powder (Others) × Her last year costume went viral and surprised everyone and when she went to the school her classmates started crying. She embodied No-Face from the film Spirited Away and that was much appreciated. Meng Meng powder (Others) × Meng Meng powder (Others) × Meng Meng powder (Others) × This year Momo along with her younger sister Miemie dressed up as Ryuk and paid tribute to "Death Note". Meng Meng powder (Others) × Death Note is a Japanese manga series, it is about Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook from a Shinigami named Ryuk that grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose name and face he knows. The series centers around Light's attempts to create and rule a world "cleansed of evil" as "God" using the notebook, and the efforts of a detective known as L to stop him. Meng Meng powder (Others) × The duo in Ryuk and L costumes nailed in the costume of the characters, most notably, L’s iconic squat! Meng Meng powder (Others) × Her creativity and zest for the festival are definitely held in high regard and let's wait what she wears next year. Watch: Momo'idea of Halloween celebration in her school. × Source: @elmo721007

Watch: Momo Lu, a Kindergartner, again surprises with her spooky Halloween costume

Over the past few decades, Halloween celebrations have gained in popularity, not only with children and families but with all those fascinated with the spooky and scary.

As a scholar of myth and religion in popular culture, I look at Halloween with particular interest &ndash; especially the ways in which today&rsquo;s Halloween tradition came to evolve.

A pre-Christian tradition

Many practices associated with Halloween have origins in the pre-Christian, or pagan, the religion of the Celts, the original inhabitants of the British Isles, as well as parts of France and Spain.

The Celts held a feast called Samhain &ndash; a celebration of the harvest, the end of summer and the turn of the year. Samhain was separated by six months from Beltane, an observance of the beginning of summer, which took place on May 1 and is now known as May Day. Because Samhain led into the cold, fruitless and dark days of winter, the feast was also an opportunity to contemplate death and to remember those who had gone before.

The Celts believed that the veil between the living and the dead was thinner during this time and that spirits of the dead could walk on earth. Bonfires were lit to ward off the coming winter darkness, but also to sacrifice livestock and crops as offerings to the gods and spirits.

Some scholars &ndash; because of the long historical association of the Celts with the Romans &ndash; have also linked the modern observance of Halloween to the Roman festival honouring Pomona, the goddess of fruit trees. During that festival, people practised divination, which uses occult for gaining knowledge of the future.

One of the practices was similar to the modern-day Halloween tradition of bobbing for apples &ndash; a party game in which people attempt to use only their teeth to pick up apples floating in a tub or a bowl of water. Originally, it was believed that whoever could bite the apple first would get married the soonest.

Later influences

Many of the modern-day practices of Halloween and even its name were influenced by Christianity.

Halloween coincides with Christian celebrations honouring the dead. In the autumn, Christians celebrate All Saints&rsquo; Day &ndash; a day to honour martyrs who died for their faith and saints. They also celebrate All Souls&rsquo; Day &ndash; a day to remember the dead and to pray for souls more generally.

The history of how these dates came to coincide is worth noting: It suggests ways in which the pagan holiday may have been absorbed into Christian observance. Starting around the seventh century A.D., Christians celebrated All Saints Day on May 13. In the mid-eighth century, however, Pope Gregory III moved All Saint&rsquo;s Day from May 13 to Nov. 1, so that it coincided with the date of Samhain.

Although there is disagreement about whether the move was made purposely so as to absorb the pagan practice, the fact is that from then on Christian and pagan traditions did begin to merge. In England, for example, All Saints Day came to be known as All Hallows Day. The night before became All Hallows Eve, Hallowe&rsquo;en, or Halloween, as it is now known.

Around A.D. 1000, Nov. 2 was established as All Souls Day. Throughout the middle ages, this three-day period was celebrated with masses. But the Pagan tradition of appeasing the spirits of the dead remained, including the Christian &ndash; now Catholic &ndash; practice of lighting candles for the souls in Purgatory.

People still light bonfires on Oct. 31, especially those in regions where the Celts originally settled. In Ireland, bonfires are lit on Halloween. In England, the bonfire tradition has been transferred to Nov. 5. This is known as Guy Fawkes Day and commemorates the Gunpowder Plot, a thwarted attempt by Catholics, led by Guy Fawkes, to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.

There are other practices that continue today. In England, for example, one of the practices on All Hallows Eve was to go door to door begging for small currant biscuits called soul cakes, which were offered in exchange for prayers. While not all scholars agree, it is part of popular belief that this practice is echoed in the modern tradition of trick-or-treating.

In Ireland, people would walk the streets carrying candles in a hollowed-out turnip, the precursor of today&rsquo;s jack o&rsquo;lantern, or the carved pumpkin.

When the tradition came to the US

Halloween, however, did not make its way to the United States until the 1840s, when waves of immigrants from the Celtic countries of Ireland and Scotland arrived. These immigrants brought with them their tradition of Halloween, including dancing, masquerading, fortune-telling games and &ndash; in some places &ndash; the practice of parading the neighbourhood asking for treats, such as nuts and fruits and coins.

By the late 19th century, some stores began offering commercially made candy for Halloween.

The North American observance of Halloween also included everything from minor pranks to some major vandalism, as well as a lot of drinking. By the early 20th century, however, many municipalities and churches attempted to curb this behaviour by turning Halloween into a family celebration with children&rsquo;s parties and, eventually, trick-or-treating as we know it today.

Halloween today

Today, Halloween has become a multi-million-dollar industry.

Candy sales, costumes, decorations, seasonal theme parks, annual television specials and October horror movie premieres are some of the many ways North Americans spend their money on the holiday.

But Halloween has come to mean many things to many people. Roman Catholics and many mainline Protestants, for example, continue to observe All Saints&rsquo; Day for its spiritual significance. In the Catholic church, it is considered a holy day of obligation, when people are required to go to mass. All Souls&rsquo; Day is celebrated soon after. In fact, the entire month of November is set aside as a time to pray for the dead.

On the other hand, some people reject Halloween because of its pagan origins and its perceived association with witchcraft and the devil. Others see it as too commercial or primarily for children.

Nonetheless, whether people see it as a children&rsquo;s holiday, a sacred ritual, a harvest festival, a night of mischief, a sophisticated adult celebration or a way to make money, Halloween has become an integral part of the North American culture.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tricking-and-treating-has-a-history-85720" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

Halloween has become a multi-million-dollar industry and also an integral part of the North American culture

Over the past few decades, Halloween celebrations have gained in popularity, not only with children and families but with all those fascinated with the spooky and scary. As a scholar of myth and religion in popular culture, I look at Halloween with particular interest – especially the ways in which today’s Halloween tradition came to evolve. A pre-Christian tradition Many practices associated with Halloween have origins in the pre-Christian, or pagan, the religion of the Celts, the original inhabitants of the British Isles, as well as parts of France and Spain. The Celts held a feast called Samhain – a celebration of the harvest, the end of summer and the turn of the year. Samhain was separated by six months from Beltane, an observance of the beginning of summer, which took place on May 1 and is now known as May Day. Because Samhain led into the cold, fruitless and dark days of winter, the feast was also an opportunity to contemplate death and to remember those who had gone before. The Celts believed that the veil between the living and the dead was thinner during this time and that spirits of the dead could walk on earth. Bonfires were lit to ward off the coming winter darkness, but also to sacrifice livestock and crops as offerings to the gods and spirits. Some scholars – because of the long historical association of the Celts with the Romans – have also linked the modern observance of Halloween to the Roman festival honouring Pomona, the goddess of fruit trees. During that festival, people practised divination, which uses occult for gaining knowledge of the future. One of the practices was similar to the modern-day Halloween tradition of bobbing for apples – a party game in which people attempt to use only their teeth to pick up apples floating in a tub or a bowl of water. Originally, it was believed that whoever could bite the apple first would get married the soonest. Later influences Many of the modern-day practices of Halloween and even its name were influenced by Christianity. Halloween coincides with Christian celebrations honouring the dead. In the autumn, Christians celebrate All Saints’ Day – a day to honour martyrs who died for their faith and saints. They also celebrate All Souls’ Day – a day to remember the dead and to pray for souls more generally. The history of how these dates came to coincide is worth noting: It suggests ways in which the pagan holiday may have been absorbed into Christian observance. Starting around the seventh century A.D., Christians celebrated All Saints Day on May 13. In the mid-eighth century, however, Pope Gregory III moved All Saint’s Day from May 13 to Nov. 1, so that it coincided with the date of Samhain. Although there is disagreement about whether the move was made purposely so as to absorb the pagan practice, the fact is that from then on Christian and pagan traditions did begin to merge. In England, for example, All Saints Day came to be known as All Hallows Day. The night before became All Hallows Eve, Hallowe’en, or Halloween, as it is now known. Around A.D. 1000, Nov. 2 was established as All Souls Day. Throughout the middle ages, this three-day period was celebrated with masses. But the Pagan tradition of appeasing the spirits of the dead remained, including the Christian – now Catholic – practice of lighting candles for the souls in Purgatory. People still light bonfires on Oct. 31, especially those in regions where the Celts originally settled. In Ireland, bonfires are lit on Halloween. In England, the bonfire tradition has been transferred to Nov. 5. This is known as Guy Fawkes Day and commemorates the Gunpowder Plot, a thwarted attempt by Catholics, led by Guy Fawkes, to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. There are other practices that continue today. In England, for example, one of the practices on All Hallows Eve was to go door to door begging for small currant biscuits called soul cakes, which were offered in exchange for prayers. While not all scholars agree, it is part of popular belief that this practice is echoed in the modern tradition of trick-or-treating. In Ireland, people would walk the streets carrying candles in a hollowed-out turnip, the precursor of today’s jack o’lantern, or the carved pumpkin. When the tradition came to the US Halloween, however, did not make its way to the United States until the 1840s, when waves of immigrants from the Celtic countries of Ireland and Scotland arrived. These immigrants brought with them their tradition of Halloween, including dancing, masquerading, fortune-telling games and – in some places – the practice of parading the neighbourhood asking for treats, such as nuts and fruits and coins. By the late 19th century, some stores began offering commercially made candy for Halloween. The North American observance of Halloween also included everything from minor pranks to some major vandalism, as well as a lot of drinking. By the early 20th century, however, many municipalities and churches attempted to curb this behaviour by turning Halloween into a family celebration with children’s parties and, eventually, trick-or-treating as we know it today. Halloween today Today, Halloween has become a multi-million-dollar industry. Candy sales, costumes, decorations, seasonal theme parks, annual television specials and October horror movie premieres are some of the many ways North Americans spend their money on the holiday. But Halloween has come to mean many things to many people. Roman Catholics and many mainline Protestants, for example, continue to observe All Saints’ Day for its spiritual significance. In the Catholic church, it is considered a holy day of obligation, when people are required to go to mass. All Souls’ Day is celebrated soon after. In fact, the entire month of November is set aside as a time to pray for the dead. On the other hand, some people reject Halloween because of its pagan origins and its perceived association with witchcraft and the devil. Others see it as too commercial or primarily for children. Nonetheless, whether people see it as a children’s holiday, a sacred ritual, a harvest festival, a night of mischief, a sophisticated adult celebration or a way to make money, Halloween has become an integral part of the North American culture. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Halloween: Tricking and treating has a history

Pumpkin sales are peaking&nbsp;ahead&nbsp;of&nbsp;Halloween&nbsp;festivities, and&nbsp;farmers&nbsp;are expecting to do a brisk trade in the upcoming weeks.

Halloween&nbsp;is the second largest retail festival in the UK after Christmas.

Fox&#39;s Farm Produce grow and sell between 50,000-100,000&nbsp;pumpkins&nbsp;a year - all in the lead up to&nbsp;Halloween, and sell both directly to consumers and shops.

&quot;We love&nbsp;Halloween. It has always been in the family, my dad used to grow them and we just capitalised on this as well. It is very Americanised, a growing market and we just love&nbsp;pumpkins,&quot; says Guy French, who grew up on a potato and vegetable farm and has run Foxes Farm Produce since 2003.

Millions of&nbsp;pumpkins&nbsp;are grown in the UK each year, and up to 90% of orange ones are sold in the lead up to&nbsp;Halloween.

Fox's Farm Produce grow and sell between 50,000-100,000?pumpkins?a year - all in the lead up to?Halloween, and sell both directly to consumers and shops

Pumpkin sales are peaking ahead of Halloween festivities, and farmers are expecting to do a brisk trade in the upcoming weeks. Halloween is the second largest retail festival in the UK after Christmas. Fox's Farm Produce grow and sell between 50,000-100,000 pumpkins a year - all in the lead up to Halloween, and sell both directly to consumers and shops. "We love Halloween. It has always been in the family, my dad used to grow them and we just capitalised on this as well. It is very Americanised, a growing market and we just love pumpkins," says Guy French, who grew up on a potato and vegetable farm and has run Foxes Farm Produce since 2003. Millions of pumpkins are grown in the UK each year, and up to 90% of orange ones are sold in the lead up to Halloween.

British farmers prepare pumpkins ahead of busy Halloween period

Hysteria sweeping the United States after a series of &quot;creepy clown&quot; sightings in recent weeks has created an unwelcome scare this Halloween when Americans will celebrate all things ghoulish, sinister and fantastical.

 
The Halloween holiday sees millions of American children don costumes and go house-to-house trick-or-treating in neighborhoods across the country.

 
But cities and law enforcement are discouraging or even banning clown costumes this year after sightings of sinister clowns, some armed with knives.

 
Authorities fear the bizarre trend could provoke a nasty backlash when children turn out Monday night.

 
The unusual sightings began in August with reports of people in South Carolina dressed as clowns trying to lure children into the woods.

 
The appearances soon spread with more than 20 states now having reported clown incidents, and although most were pranks in bad taste or unverified threats, some arrests have been made, including for attacks.

 
The craze has even spread beyond the United States to Europe, South America and Australia.

 
The hysteria has had surprising repercussions for many, such as Armando Santana, a 22-year-old actor who performs as a scary clown in a popular Miami horror house.

 
He says he would no longer dream of leaving his job without ditching the costume.

 
&quot;It means that by the end of the night I have to wash my face. I can&#39;t drive my car with this on, just in case I get stopped,&quot; he said.

 
Even a building in Miami Beach warned its residents ahead of the Halloween door-knocking: &quot;You must be extra careful with anyone wearing clown masks.&quot;

 
Burger chain McDonald&#39;s meanwhile has scaled back public appearances of its famous smiley-faced clown mascot Ronald McDonald, citing &quot;the current climate around clown sightings.&quot;

 
And discount retail chain Target halted the sale of clown masks because of &quot;the current environment,&quot; said spokesman Joshua Thomas.

 
While some observers have made light of the sightings, police and other authorities are taking the craze seriously.

 
&quot;Did you know that you could be arrested for wearing a clown mask with the intent to disturb the peace?&quot; warned the Palm Beach County Sheriff&#39;s Office on Twitter this month.

 
The Miami police released a video that shows a boy, fleeing a shadowy clown in the dark, being run over by a car. &quot;These pranks can have serious or even tragic ends,&quot; it concludes.

 
Miami police spokeswoman Yelitza Cedano Hernandez told AFP that, while it is not prohibited to dress like a clown, &quot;if this prank leaves someone injured, the prankster is going to be arrested and the victim&#39;s family can take the person to court.&quot;

 
In Kemper County, Mississippi, clown gear has been expressly banned until after Halloween, and authorities will slap a $150 fine on any violators.

 
Meanwhile a number of US school districts, particularly in New Jersey, Connecticut and Colorado, have banned clown costumes in Halloween parades.

 
The same action was taken by the city of Belmont, North Carolina, for its Belmont Boo Festival last week: No adult clown costumes allowed.&quot;People dressed as horror clowns are not &#39;real clowns,&#39;&quot; said Randy Christensen, president of the World Clown Association.

 
&quot;They are taking something innocent and wholesome and perverting it to create fear in their audience,&quot; he said in a statement.

 
But some benefit when there&#39;s a buzz.

 
Staff at the Halloween Megastore in Miami said that clown masks, along with superheroes from the film &quot;Suicide Squad&quot; and the US presidential candidates, are hot sellers this season.

 
And Nelson Albareda, producer of the House of Horror Haunted Carnival in Miami, which has an entire section dedicated to sinister clowns, welcomes the phenomenon.

 
&quot;I&#39;ve been in the Halloween industry for 16 years and a lot of people have a phobia on clowns, so this is nothing new to us,&quot; he told AFP, while walking the haunted house&#39;s dusty passageways.

 
&quot;Now there&#39;s a lot of hoopla about clowns, even on social media. It&#39;s actually better for us.&quot;

 
(AFP)

 
&nbsp;

US cities and law enforcement are discouraging or even banning clown costumes this Halloween after sightings of knife-wielding clowns

Hysteria sweeping the United States after a series of "creepy clown" sightings in recent weeks has created an unwelcome scare this Halloween when Americans will celebrate all things ghoulish, sinister and fantastical. The Halloween holiday sees millions of American children don costumes and go house-to-house trick-or-treating in neighborhoods across the country. But cities and law enforcement are discouraging or even banning clown costumes this year after sightings of sinister clowns, some armed with knives. Authorities fear the bizarre trend could provoke a nasty backlash when children turn out Monday night. The unusual sightings began in August with reports of people in South Carolina dressed as clowns trying to lure children into the woods. The appearances soon spread with more than 20 states now having reported clown incidents, and although most were pranks in bad taste or unverified threats, some arrests have been made, including for attacks. The craze has even spread beyond the United States to Europe, South America and Australia. The hysteria has had surprising repercussions for many, such as Armando Santana, a 22-year-old actor who performs as a scary clown in a popular Miami horror house. He says he would no longer dream of leaving his job without ditching the costume. "It means that by the end of the night I have to wash my face. I can't drive my car with this on, just in case I get stopped," he said. Even a building in Miami Beach warned its residents ahead of the Halloween door-knocking: "You must be extra careful with anyone wearing clown masks." Burger chain McDonald's meanwhile has scaled back public appearances of its famous smiley-faced clown mascot Ronald McDonald, citing "the current climate around clown sightings." And discount retail chain Target halted the sale of clown masks because of "the current environment," said spokesman Joshua Thomas. While some observers have made light of the sightings, police and other authorities are taking the craze seriously. "Did you know that you could be arrested for wearing a clown mask with the intent to disturb the peace?" warned the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on Twitter this month. The Miami police released a video that shows a boy, fleeing a shadowy clown in the dark, being run over by a car. "These pranks can have serious or even tragic ends," it concludes. Miami police spokeswoman Yelitza Cedano Hernandez told AFP that, while it is not prohibited to dress like a clown, "if this prank leaves someone injured, the prankster is going to be arrested and the victim's family can take the person to court." In Kemper County, Mississippi, clown gear has been expressly banned until after Halloween, and authorities will slap a $150 fine on any violators. Meanwhile a number of US school districts, particularly in New Jersey, Connecticut and Colorado, have banned clown costumes in Halloween parades. The same action was taken by the city of Belmont, North Carolina, for its Belmont Boo Festival last week: No adult clown costumes allowed."People dressed as horror clowns are not 'real clowns,'" said Randy Christensen, president of the World Clown Association. "They are taking something innocent and wholesome and perverting it to create fear in their audience," he said in a statement. But some benefit when there's a buzz. Staff at the Halloween Megastore in Miami said that clown masks, along with superheroes from the film "Suicide Squad" and the US presidential candidates, are hot sellers this season. And Nelson Albareda, producer of the House of Horror Haunted Carnival in Miami, which has an entire section dedicated to sinister clowns, welcomes the phenomenon. "I've been in the Halloween industry for 16 years and a lot of people have a phobia on clowns, so this is nothing new to us," he told AFP, while walking the haunted house's dusty passageways. "Now there's a lot of hoopla about clowns, even on social media. It's actually better for us." (AFP)

US: 'Creepy clown' craze puts damper on Halloween

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