Attorneys representing the fans of Detroit rap-duo Insane Clown Posse filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI for labeling the group’s following as a “loosely organized hybrid gang.”
Assisted by the Detroit office of the American Civil Liberties Union, ICP fans (known as “Juggalos”) argued that the ruling unfairly categorizes the culture surrounding the group’s performances and recordings. Michael J. Steinberg, legal director for the ACLU of Michigan, addressed the media regarding the details of the suit.
Since their 2011 criminal classification, many Juggalos have lost their careers, custody of their children and even their position within the military for associating with the band’s fan base.
According to the F.B.I.’s National Gang Threat Assessment report of 2011, Juggalos have been “rapidly expanding into many U.S. communities” and are likely to “exhibit gang-like behavior and engage in criminal activity and violence.”
ICP’s “horror-core” genre is commonly associated with violent undertones, bizarre theatrics and supernatural themes. In their 24-year career, the group has earned five gold records and two platinum records, produced two feature-length films, created their own wrestling federation (Juggalo Championship Wrestling) and starred in their own TV series on Fuse TV (Insane Clown Posse Theater). They currently serve a world-wide fan base estimated in the “tens of thousands.”
The group’s members, Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Utsler), attended Wednesday’s press conference at the Detroit office of the ACLU in their signature face paint, Psychopathic Records jewelry and matching jerseys, which read: “Juggalo.”