Mayor Eric Adams of New York City is encouraging the imposition of a statewide prohibition on the use of masks during protest activities. He criticizes the existing regulations as inadequate for deterring protesters from using masks to conceal their identities, thus facilitating illicit activities like vandalism and violence. Adams firmly believes that the prior legislative focus on masks was not sufficient to uphold public safety norms or to effectively thwart antisemitism.
In a public conversation, Adams encouraged the state’s legislative body to reinstate restrictions on masks prevalent before the pandemic. This would allow law enforcement to legally penalize those who gather in public with a mask, effectively hiding their real identity. He expressed dissatisfaction with the state’s rules pertaining to masks, including the modifications that were authorized by lawmakers during the earlier parts of the year.
Adams opines that the sight of masked protesters, some donned in gas masks, often empowers them to engage in disruptive actions. He strongly contends that by proscribing the use of masks during the course of protests, individuals could be deterred from participating in disorderly conduct seen at various protests, including several witnessed on college campuses and across numerous municipalities.
Adams’ comments came in the wake of the ‘No Kings’ protests, which saw participations from over 50,000 New York residents. These protests were largely peaceful in nature. However, in the preceding year, there was a proposal to ban masks during protests. This was a response to an increase in antisemitic incidents and protests where the participants had veiled their faces.
Despite its intended purpose, the proposed prohibition had its critics. Advocates for civil liberties and miscellaneous voices from the citizenry protested these changes, arguing that they would pave the way for selective enforcement that targets minorities. They further asserted that this would infringe on the legal right of peaceful protesters to voice their concerns freely.
The amended laws account for the potential harm masked individuals may cause and brands it as a minor offense to wear masks with the intention of intimidating or harassing others. However, exceptions have been made for those wearing masks due to medical, religious, or weather-related reasons.
The previous ban from 1845 that prohibited the wearing of masks in public places was abolished by New York State, given the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During these times, state leaders and healthcare professionals implored the public to use face coverings to hinder the propagation of the virus.
In response to the public health crisis, masks were made mandatory while accessing public transit in New York City. A portion of the population continued to use face coverings with the objective of protecting themselves from substandard air quality.
However, the protests from the last year, notably those that grappled with college campuses, brought forth the worry surrounding masked protesters who committed acts of vandalism and antisemitism while successfully evading detection from authorities.
Earlier this year, a bill was proposed that would categorize wearing masks during public gatherings or protests as a minor offense. The penalty for contravening this law, if enacted, would include imprisonment for up to three months. The Mask Transparency Act has already been ratified by a county.
This legislation makes it unlawful to use masks or face coverings with the objective of concealing one’s identity in public locations. However, provisions are included to exclude those who cover their faces for reasons of health protection, religious beliefs or cultural practices.
The law specifies harsh punishments for transgressors which can result in a year of imprisonment and a fine amounting to $1,000. These legal provisions were formulated ostensibly as reaction to violent protests that took place in New York. These demonstrations were aimed at the government and the protesters concealed their identities, often through the use of scarves and varied face coverings.
The post NYC Mayor Pushes for Mask Prohibition During Protests appeared first on Real News Now.
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