Ronald McDonald Is Laying Low Until the Clown Craze Is Over

Ronald McDonald, the iconic clown mascot of McDonald’s, is laying low until the clown craze in the country dies down, the fast-food giant said Tuesday.

McDonald’s said Americans will see less of the recognizable red-haired jester in the yellow suit as the company remains “thoughtful in respect to Ronald McDonald’s participation in community events” as a result of the “current climate around clown sightings in communities,” according to the Associated Press.

Sightings of creepy clowns have been on the rise and have spread to more than two dozen states since late August when reports surfaced that clowns were trying to lure children into the woods in South Carolina.

Police in other countries like England and Canada have also had to investigate multiple reports of scary clown sightings.

Subscribe to TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com.