Striking a blow to devotees of the Dark Carnival, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit claiming the federal government had harmed Insane Clown Posse and their fans by branding "Juggalos" a gang. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland agreed with the government's contention that the rap duo could not prove they'd been negatively impacted, and so they lacked standing to sue.
The case arose after the FBI's 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment described ICP superfans, called Juggalos, as a "violent street gang." Brought by Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J — with some help from the ACLU — the complaint argued that the label violated Juggalos' First Amendment right to freedom of association.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Test driving the Rolls-Royce Spectre Black BadgeThe Week Recommends We take the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever built for a spin in Barcelona
-
Tuberculosis is seeing a resurgence, and it's only going to get worseUnder the radar The spread of the deadly infection is buoyed by global unrest
-
Crossword: April 3, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Sen. Booker's 25-hour speech beats ThurmondSpeed Read He spoke for the longest time in recorded Senate history, protesting the Trump administration's policies
-
Bondi seeks death penalty for Luigi MangioneSpeed Read Mangione was charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year
-
Democrats win costly Wisconsin court seatSpeed Read Democrats prevailed in an election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court despite Elon Musk's robust financial support of the Republican candidate
-
WHCA rejects White House press seating grabSpeed Read The White House Correspondents' Association objected to the Trump administration's bid to control where journalists sit during press briefings
-
Trump sends more migrants to El Salvador jailSpeed Read Another 17 Venezuelan alleged gang members have been deported to a notorious prison
-
Trump 'not joking' about unconstitutional 3rd termSpeed Read The president seems to be serious about seeking a third term in 2028
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictionsSpeed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
