Kathy Hochul says the face covers are being utilized by criminals on subway to hide identities whereas committing anti-Semitic acts
New York’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed a legislative ban on face masks on the NYC subway system to fight acts of anti-Semitism, claiming criminals are concealing their identities utilizing the face coverings.
Earlier than the Covid-19 pandemic, New York had a legislation banning face masks in public. Nevertheless, that rule was suspended in 2020 in mild of the pandemic and the town’s authorities made face coverings obligatory for all subway riders till September 2022.
Talking to reporters throughout a information convention in Albany on Thursday, Hochul said that she was in talks with lawmakers over particulars of a invoice as soon as once more banning masks, noting that the coverage must be clearly outlined to incorporate “common sense exemptions” for the usage of face masks for well being, cultural or spiritual functions.
“We won’t tolerate people utilizing masks to evade accountability for felony or threatening conduct,” Hochul mentioned, including that her workforce is “engaged on an answer.”
The Mayor of New York Metropolis, Eric Adams, had additionally talked about reviving some model of a masks ban and returning to the way in which issues had been earlier than the pandemic, insisting that folks shouldn’t be capable of put on masks at protests.
Hochul defined that she was moved to suggest the ban after receiving a report earlier this week a couple of group of individuals donning face masks that “took over a subway automotive, scaring riders and chanting issues about Hitler and wiping out Jews.”
It’s unclear if the Governor was referring to a selected incident or a number of, however they look like related to Monday’s pro-Palestinian demonstrations that occurred across the metropolis. Close to Union Sq. Park, quite a few individuals who had left the rally had been seen on video flooding right into a subway station waving flags and banging on drums.
In a single clip, a person not carrying a face masks might be seen chanting “increase your arms when you’re a Zionist” to different passengers on the practice, telling them to get out of the subway automotive. One other video reveals a person in Union Sq., additionally with out a masks, shouting “I want Hitler was nonetheless right here. He would’ve wiped all you out!”
Critics of Hochul’s proposed masks ban have slammed it as an try to crack down on protests wherein individuals need to conceal their identities to keep away from authorized or skilled repercussions. Donna Lieberman, the manager director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, prompt that the governor’s laws can be used to selectively squash political protests and used to “arrest, doxx, surveil and silence individuals of shade and protestors the police disagree with.”
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