New York Aims to Enact a Ban on Masks to Prevent Crime
The New York State Legislature is proposing a ban on masks and face coverings with the purpose of preventing crimes committed by those who conceal their identities with masks or face coverings.
This measure is not directed at masks used for health, religious, or climate reasons, but solely on those used for crime. How this will be distinguished by police officers when apprehending mask-wearers, is unclarified. The exemptions for the measure also include “protection from weather,” and “costumes for holidays or celebrations.”
The bill, titled “AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to the crime of masked harassment and aggravated harassment,” states:
“A person is guilty of the crime of masked harassment when such person wears a mask or other face covering that intentionally hides or conceals their face for the primary purpose of menacing or threatening violence against another person or placing another person or group of 16 persons in reasonable fear for their physical safety.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who backs this measure, has made it a top priority in addressing “deeply troubling” crimes. She explained her rationale for supporting the bill:
“Think about a bank robber, walks in, their face is covered. Someone assaults someone on the subway, they can get away with it despite the fact that we have cameras because they are masked. And so this is something that, as I’m protecting public safety, is very much top of mind.”
Former New York Governor and current candidate for the Mayorship of New York City, Andrew Cuomo, is also a proponent of the act.
Mask-wearing in New York has become a matter of recent controversy especially since their widespread use became prominent during the Columbia University campus protests over the Israel – Hamas conflict. The White House successfully pressured the university to ban masks with the exception of religious and health reasons.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the New York Civil Liberties Union are also against the proposed ban. The ACLU has put up a petition to “Say No to Mask Bans in New York.”
In 2024, Long Island’s Nassau County enacted a “Mask Transparency Act” with the same purpose of preventing identity concealment. Those penalized for violating this act are guilty of a misdemeanor and face a fine of $1,000 and up to a year in jail.
