On Wednesday, Nassau County in New York passed the country’s first law banning face masks in public. The Mask Transparency Act, signed by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, makes it illegal to wear a mask to hide one’s identity in public. Violators could face fines up to $1,000 or a year in jail, or both.
This law was introduced in response to antisemitic incidents where perpetrators were wearing masks, following the recent conflict between Hamas and Israel. The aim is to prevent people from committing crimes while concealing their faces. Nassau police will decide if someone’s intent is criminal.
Blakeman stated the goal is not to arrest innocent people but to allow police to question those who might be hiding their identities for illegal purposes. However, critics, including the New York Civil Liberties Union NYCLU, argue that the law could unfairly target political protesters and those wearing masks for health reasons. They also worry it might lead to biased enforcement against marginalized communities.
The law has exceptions for masks worn for medical or religious reasons, but some are concerned about the clarity of these exceptions. Critics like former state Rep. Yuh-Line Niou and state Sen. Iwen Chu fear the law could lead to increased discrimination, especially against Asian communities where mask-wearing is common.
This new law follows a recent move by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to ban masks on subways to address similar issues.
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