US Police Apologise For ‘Accidentally’ Using ‘The Purge’ Siren To Mark COVID-19 Curfew
In 'The Purge', the siren's used to announce a 12-hour period where all crime, including murder, is legal.
Louisiana police have apologised for accidentally using a siren sound to signal a city curfew which is used in horror series The Purge.
As per Indiewire, a curfew has been put in place in Crowley, Louisiana due to what police are calling the “rapid” spread of COVID-19 in Acadia Parish, where the city’s located. It prohibits citizens leaving their house between 9pm and 6am, at risk of citation, unless they have documentation from an employer explaining their travel.
On April, 4 the police have announced the curfew via a siren — one eerily familiar to those who have seen any of The Purge series. For the uninitiated, The Purge is a horror series set in an alternate America where all crimes, including murder, are legal for one night a year, with no emergency services available to call for aid. The first film, released in 2013, featured Ethan Hawke and Game Of Thrones‘ Lena Heaey.
There are currently four films in the series and a TV show — a fifth and possibly final film was scheduled for US release in July, but has been pushed back due to COVID-19. Throughout the series, a siren marks the beginning of the purge. In video below from local network KATC3 and one circulating on Twitter, you can hear it played in the town.
So the police played the purge sound in Crowley, Louisiana last night.. Fukn dickheads pic.twitter.com/olVLg8gjsl
— KANG (@RaspyRawls) April 4, 2020
In response to the natural criticism of inspiring fear and dread within the hearts of horror fans, Acadia Parish Sheriff K.P. Gibson gave a statement to KATC3 saying they were not involved in the siren use nor condone a siren, suggesting Crowley’s police department went rogue here.
“Last night a ‘Purge Siren’ was utilized by the Crowley Police Department as part of their starting curfew,” the statement read. “We have received numerous complaints with the belief that our agency was involved in this process. We were not involved in the use of the ‘Purge Siren’ and will not utilize any type of siren for this purpose.”
While Louisiana’s COVID-19 numbers are rising, Acadia Parish’s numbers actually dropped on April 4 — the night of the purge siren — due to duplicate reporting.
Crowley Police’s Facebook April 4 post announcing the siren and curfew has been deleted, though unimpressed citizens are posting screenshots as part of negative page reviews.