Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed the mask ban, the first of its kind in the United States, into law early Wednesday morning.
On Wednesday, a controversial ban on wearing face coverings in public was passed in the New York suburb of Nassau County. Civil rights activists and state officials immediately criticized the move as a violation of the right to free speech.
During a press conference early Wednesday, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed the ban, the first of its kind in the U.S. It criminalizes the wearing of face masks to conceal one’s identity in public spaces, except in cases of medical, religious or cultural reasons. Supporters of the ban called it a public safety measure aimed at people who commit crimes while wearing a mask to conceal their identity.
Anyone who violates the law is committing a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
“This is a comprehensive public safety measure,” Blakeman said at Wednesday’s press conference. “We’ve seen people using masks to shoplift, steal cars and rob banks. That’s an activity we want to stop.”
But civil rights activists and state officials said the law violated free speech and expressed concern about the ban’s potential consequences, including safety risks for protesters and health risks for local communities.
“Masks protect people who express controversial political views. Authorities should support New Yorkers’ right to express their views, not encourage widespread doxxing and threaten arrests,” Susan Gottehrer, regional director of the New York Civil Liberties Union in Nassau County, said in a statement.
“Masks also protect people’s health, especially at a time of rising COVID numbers, and allow people at increased risk to participate in public life,” Gottehrer added. “We should help people make the right decision for themselves and their loved ones – not allow the government to exclude vulnerable people from society.”
What is the Mask Transparency Act?
The Mask Transparency Act was passed by Republican-dominated Nassau County earlier this month, with all 12 Republicans in the county legislature voting in favor and seven Democrats abstaining. Republican Rep. Mazi Melesa Pilip introduced the bill after growing concerns about alleged anti-Semitic incidents at protests across the country.
The United States has seen months of protests against the war between Israel and Hamas, including a wave of demonstrations on college campuses that sparked widespread criticism of the police response. Since the war began last year, the country has also seen a rise in hate crimes – including Islamophobic, anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic incidents.
According to Reuters, deputies in Nassau County said the measure was aimed at preventing protesters suspected of violence and anti-Semitism from concealing their identities.
“This legislation finds that masks and face coverings that are not worn for health and safety reasons or for religious or ceremonial purposes are often used as a pretext for harassing, threatening, or criminal behavior,” the bill states.
The bill allows law enforcement to enforce the removal of face coverings during traffic stops or “when the officer has reasonable suspicion of criminal activity and/or intent to engage in criminal activity.”
Mask ban meets resistance from civil rights activists and state officials
The New York Civil Liberties Union called the ban an attack on free speech and called the exceptions to the ban “inadequate.” The civil rights organization added that mask bans have recently been used nationwide to target pro-Palestinian protesters.
“Masks protect people who express unpopular political opinions. Declaring anonymous protests illegal deters political action and can be selectively enforced,” Gottehrer said in a statement earlier this month.
After Nassau County lawmakers passed the mask ban on August 5, other civil rights groups and state officials also opposed the law. The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the law, saying it “paves the way for political censorship.”
Earlier this month, New York Senator Iwen Chu released a statement on X, arguing that the ban could lead to “hatred and discrimination against Asians” and against people who wear masks for health, cultural and religious reasons.
“Mask-wearing is also a common practice in many Asian cultures, especially after health crises such as SARS and COVID-19,” Chu said. “Many Asians around the world have adopted this mask culture and sense of public safety as a societal responsibility to prevent the spread of health crises.”
Gottehrer also pointed out that the ban puts residents’ health at risk, adding that there was a surge in COVID-19 cases across Long Island over the summer.
“With COVID-19 on the rise on Long Island, face coverings are critical to protecting the health of an individual, their family and their community,” Gottehrer said. “Nassau County police officers are not health experts or religious experts who can decide who needs a mask and who doesn’t.”
Contributors: Alexandra Rivera, Rockland/Westchester Journal News; Reuters
