August 28, 2024

"The push to ban masks in some public settings began in June after some pro-Palestinian demonstrators covered their faces during protests."

"They said that they had done so to avoid online harassment, though some activists used the anonymity provided by their masks to harass people or to engage in acts of vandalism.... The Nassau County law, the Mask Transparency Act, makes it a misdemeanor to wear a face covering in public for reasons other than health or religion. It was passed by the county’s Republican-controlled Legislature this month. Masks that are not worn for health or religious reasons 'are often used as a predicate to harassing, menacing or criminal behavior,' the legislators wrote in the bill. Violators could face a fine of up to $1,000, up to a year in jail, or both.

From "Man Is First to Be Charged in New York With Wearing a Mask in Public/Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo was frisked and charged with knife possession after the police stopped him for wearing a ski mask" (NYT).

Castillo, 18, "was walking down Spindle Road, a residential street of tidy lawns and single-family homes in Hicksville, wearing dark clothes and a ski mask in August, the county police said in a statement."

80 comments:

rehajm said...

What’s to stop someone from claiming the ski mask is for health reasons, or with these protestors, ‘religious’ reasons?
8/28/24, 5:51 AM

MadTownGuy said...

Even here in our little burg, I've noticed a few young men around town, dressed in all black garb with black face masks. Not Amish or Mennonite, usually riding bikes and wearing hoodies. We're in the central PA hinterlands, but there's a university in town and a diverse downtown population. The bike riders I've seen are all Caucasian. Not sure if there's any significance, though

Kevin said...

So, no more Halloween?

wendybar said...

They should be treated as the terrorists they are.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

So vandalism and intimidation (I.e. assault) are not enough to motivate the police to act but the addition of a mask elevates the offenses to the point of actionability? This must be one of those unique NY statutes through which a misdemeanor can be prosecuted as a felony if the perp is running for office.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Of course. It’s a sunblock! In winter it can be for warmth. I’m rather intrigued by the “health” exception given there are no peer-reviewed medical trials that have ever shown the efficacy of wearing a mask.

Kevin said...

It would be better for the police if we all stayed in our homes.

Dave Begley said...

Weren’t similar laws passed to prevent the KKK from wearing hoods? If one is wearing a mask or hood, one is up to no good!

Humperdink said...

Clayton Moore wore a mask and was a hero. Hi oh Silver, away!!

Dixcus said...

Laws and normal justice cannot defeat these people. There is only one way to defeat people who would wear masks while terrorizing a community and that is to kill them. Viciously, if you wish to deter the next brigade.

Breezy said...

Wearing a mask in public shouldn’t be a crime in and of itself.

gilbar said...

surprisingly, the party that formed the KKK is Against mask laws
surprisingly, the party the KKK formed to fight is FOR mask laws

anyone want to explain how wearing masks while attacking people is good and proper? Inga? Mark? Rich?

Temujin said...

What Wendybar said at 6:03. What game are we playing? People dressed up in all black, wearing hoodies to cover their head, and a mask over their face, are not here to sign you up for the 4H Club. They are wearing the 'uniform' of their cause- whatever the hell it is today.

planetgeo said...

Mask-wearing for criminal purposes...that's a "WWD"...Walking While Democrat.

Leland said...

I’m nominally against these laws, as I understand the power it gives police to stop people and ask questions. That power can and is often abused. That said, let these Antifa goons admit their Marxist actions are religious in nature. Then we can push back on the implementation of this religion in our government.

planetgeo said...

Actually, pretty much any mask-wearing, including for imagined health reasons, is a WWD.

Ampersand said...

The law is toothless of course. Mask wearing correlates strongly with mental health issues and/or with foolish political beliefs. It's a handy warning to stay away from the mask wearer. This is not someone to trust or befriend.

Political Junkie said...

The fascist in me is glad that the 18 year old in mask in August was copped.

Dave Begley said...

Ann. Weren’t there some First Amendment cases in the 60s about mask wearing? KKK laws.

Jamie said...

I am not in favor of this law. I am also not in favor of people's wearing masks unless it's damn cold or they are disfigured like the Phantom of the Opera or - as noted above - it's Halloween, but lots of things are permissible in our society that I don't like, and somehow I struggle on.

Bob Boyd said...

Can you wear a mask on Halloween?

Bob Boyd said...

It's stupid to ban masks. Seems like a pitiful, impotent gesture.
Dems defund the police, disarm and punish citizens who defend themselves or others and import criminals and Republicans ban masks.

Howard said...

Exactly. Just like the January 6th thugs who innsurrected the capital many wearing face masks and bandanas covering there double chin ugly mugs

Howard said...

Yes you are so right. Just like the fat fucks who go around in camouflage outfits and carrying the don't tread on your flag on their truck they are potential insurrectionist and should be jailed immediately based on their appearance.

James K said...

I don't know that mask-wearing should be illegal, but it should be grounds for stopping, questioning, and frisking. It's suspicious behavior.

I remember long before Covid that many Asians wore hospital-type masks in crowded areas, presumably some habit they acquired in China or wherever they were from. Silly in my opinion, but their prerogative.

Bob Boyd said...

Do you have to carry a note from your doctor?

Cappy said...

Welp, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. https://www.wkbn.com/news/niles-historical-society-remembers-1924-kkk-riots/

Sally327 said...

The government wants us to wear masks until it doesn’t. Very confusing! I am anti-mask myself but I think anything other than an absolutist approach should fail. Get me for what I do not what I wear.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

So you're cool with Klan rallies and marches in your town?

Wilbur said...

WWD?
Women's Wear Daily?

Freder Frederson said...

Then we can push back on the implementation of this religion in our government.

Unfortunately for you, the 1st amendment doesn't allow the government to do that.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

And Burt Ward

Freder Frederson said...

I guess you don't believe in the second amendment either. What part of "shall not be infringed" don't you understand.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Just make it as socially unacceptable as blackface.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Ah 1924 the year of the Democrat Klanbake at their DNC convention. What a 100-year anniversary we are having of that momentous era in Democrat party politics and sucking up to mask-wearing criminals.

tim maguire said...

"other than health or religion"

WTF kind of standard is that!?

There's a simple alternative to this mostly unconstitutional law--don't try to outlaw "mask wearing for unapproved reasons"; just make mask wearing an aggravating factor when worn during the commission of a crime.

Gusty Winds said...

Stupid COVID mask mandates laid the ground work for the BLM summer 2020 violence. All of a sudden you could hide your face in public and it was the gov't telling you to do it. America let people walk into banks wearing masks. Just plain stupidity.

However I did find guilty pleasure watching the masked Chicago black population loot the Nike store. Nike exploits their labor and their customers.

Freder Frederson said...

If that is the price of preserving the 1st amendment, I will grudgingly accept it.

Freder Frederson said...

I assume you are referring to the Democratic Party. Nassau County is a Republican county. You should check these things before you make stupid comments.

Gusty Winds said...

Libtards still wear masks to hide their faces. When you see young college liberals wearing masks it is solely for disguise. COVID is not a threat to their age group. I don't believe for a minute they still fear COVID.

If they do, they are even more mentally ill. Than we thought. Perhaps it is also a leftover virtue signal.

Yancey Ward said...

Once again Freder demonstrates his inability to read English.

Freder Frederson said...

I bet it turns out that this action was planned and he hoped to be arrested, so there is a case or controversy for a lawsuit against the County.

Yancey Ward said...

The proper way to address this is to make wearing a mask during the commission of a crime an enhanced charge/sentencing element. It is the only way to balance the right to anonymity with the right to have good public order.

Jaq said...

It was actually kind of interesting how many of those men who were on video breaking into the Capitol were actually young and fit men of military age, whose identities still remain unknown to this day. But the US has magic dirt and agent provocateurs creating false flags which overwhelmingly benefit one side and greatly harm the interests of the supposed perpetrators, exist only in other countries, you know, the way the Reichstag Fire cemented the Nazis in power in Germany.

It's ontologically impossible for such a thing to happen here, so all evidence that it might have and probably did may be safely ignored, including the fact that none of the perps seemed to be double chinned boomers, and the fact that all of their MAGA gear was spanking new. Of course in order to buy MAGA gear, a person must be vetted, neighbors interviewed, the whole nine yards, to make sure that no non MAGA person could ever buy any for their own purposes.

alfromchgo said...

History repeats: When the Klan made a resurgence some northern cities wrote laws against appearing in public masked. When I came on the job in 1966 the Chicago Disorderly Conduct ordnance included the proviso "While hooded, robed or masked" as part of an offense.
This was removed upon the beginning of the left political street protest, could not allow the arrest of junior from Wilmette you know/

RCOCEAN II said...

I love how the zionists and liberals don't even "Mask" their intentions anymore. When Antifa and BLM were attacking people, rioting and looting with masks on - well that was OK. But now that Pro-Palestinians are wearing masks, so zionists cant dox them, well, now we need a law.

I've switched from being no masks to masks should be OK. Not wearing wearing masks puts the power back in the hands of the Leftwing/zionists DAs who will Dox/prosecute anyone they don't like. And let the people they do like go scot free.

The J6ers thought they lived in a free country and that we had one system of justice. They thought - after watching leftwing/antifa protesters riot/loot without consequence - that protesting was OK. They found out how wrong they were. The DC judges dont hesitate to let a leftwing protester go free while sentencing a conservative/MAGA protester to 2 years in jail. They revel in their bias and lack of justice. The UK judges are doing the same.

So wear a mask when you protest. And fight any anti-masking laws.

n.n said...

Hamasidols, SS BLM, KKK, contagion concentrators, poker face, robbers, etc. Mssks have a long history in the commission of crimes and deception.

Bruce Hayden said...

There are two reasons why they want to mask: anonymity and it’s in terrorem effect. And similarly, we have a right to know. So far, we have found that several of them are government employees, and one even a prosecutor. How many of them are government paid teachers and social workers? And, yes, of course, they have an interest in not being prosecuted for their crimes because of their anonymity.

Freder Frederson said...

Again, Nassau County is a Republican county. Apparently, like Gilbar you are an ignorant moron.

Freder Frederson said...

Really?! Explain to me where the first amendment allows the government to determine what is a legitimate religion.

Narr said...

I avoid masked people, but I don't question their right to wear them, any more than I question their right to wear armbands.

Bob Boyd said...

So can you wear a mask if it's on a stick like in those movies about French nobles conniving at palace balls?

Bob Boyd said...

If the cops find a mask in your pocket, can you be charged with intent to mask?

Yancey Ward said...

Now, let's all ask Freder this question- should people be forced to wear masks in public?

Peachy said...

Antifa like masks.

Peachy said...

Stay on team D - Howard - It's right where you belong.

Peachy said...

Tim in Vermont - exactly. Yet innocent people who were not partaking in any violent behavior that day - their lives have been ruined by the Cheney-Pelosi-Schitt left. Cheney hid evidence that didn't fit her narrative.

Peachy said...

Indeed. Antfia masks - while committing violent struggle! and arson! - all A-OK to Kamala and Walz, and just about every white leftist in power who comes to mind.

Freder Frederson said...

That said, let these Antifa goons admit their Marxist actions are religious in nature. Then we can push back on the implementation of this religion in our government.

The way I read it, Leland would like the government that whatever religion Antifa follows is not a legitimate religion. The 1st amendment prohibits such a determination.

Maybe Leland can clarify what he meant.

Rick67 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rick67 said...

Karlyn Borysenko argues they wear masks because they're Marxists. Wearing a mask is about "comrade-care". Although that sometimes is the motivation (such as when they gather for meetings and conferences) it is not necessarily the motivation when people are outside causing mayhem. There are many examples where an object has a purpose in one setting but a different purpose in another.

In public masks make it hard to identify those causing mayhem and destruction.

gilbar said...

Fred? and what did Nassau do?
They banned masks.. Which is a republican thing..
Serious Question: are You mentally Stupid?

gilbar said...

i'll TRY to help you Fred.. HERE, is what the republicans in Nassau DID:
The Nassau County law, the Mask Transparency Act, makes it a misdemeanor to wear a face covering in public for reasons

get it?
The republicans are the ones against Masks..
The democrats are the ones WEARING the Masks..
please TRY to keep up, otherwise people will laugh at you

Mark said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Freder Frederson said...

"surprisingly, the party the KKK formed to fight is FOR mask laws"

This sentence is very confusing. But if you meant the Republicans, then I apologize.

And for your final point, the law does not limit its scope to wearing a mask while attacking people (which probably would pass constitutional muster), but to the mere act of wearing a mask.

Unknown said...

43 USC section 1985(c) -

(3)Depriving persons of rights or privileges
If two or more persons in any State or Territory conspire or go in disguise on the highway or on the premises of another, for the purpose of depriving, either directly or indirectly, any person or class of persons of the equal protection of the laws, or of equal privileges and immunities under the laws; . . . . the party so injured or deprived may have an action for the recovery of damages occasioned by such injury or deprivation, against any one or more of the conspirators.

IOW, wearing masks to intimidate others in normal exercise of their rights is already tortious under federal anti-KKK law. I have no idea why the encampment enforcers haven't already been sued civilly.

Michael K said...

Mike, Field Marshal Freder still does not get the point. How typical of him to insult the person who is right.

n.n said...

And, of course, Antifa who wore the black mask of fascism.

Kevin said...

Next up: beards.

Aggie said...

I'm not sure the law is the correct solution - maybe it would be better for an automatic escalation of charges to felony, if a mask is used when committing a crime.

I don't have a problem with mask wearers, as long as the mask wearers don't have a problem identifying themselves when a cop stops and questions them on suspicion of bad motives.

The problem is, there is too much opportunistic crime that lately has gone unpunished, and it has created a sizeable population of innocent victims that did nothing to deserve it. Not only gone unpunished: it's blossomed as a result of corporate and state sanction in some places. It's a case of the concept of anonymity being treated as a 'right', but then exploited to preserve the safety of the criminal. Nope, not having that. Too bad, so sad.

Having a devil of a time getting a comment to publish this morning, here and elsewhere.

Aggie said...

He was carrying a 14 inch knife and was charged with other crimes.

Pillage Idiot said...

Freder cites "constitutional law" all of the time. However, other than the basics, he almost never cites it correctly.

Many states passed anti-Klan masking laws, that were NOT overturned with 1st Amendment constitutional challenges.

Most of such laws still on the books use language that prohibit the wearing of masks "with the intent to conceal a person's identity".

The Klan and the Nazis still have a 1st Amendment right to march in public. They just cannot do that with their faces concealed.

These laws are still being applied after the Jim Crow era.

From the NYT:

"Anti-mask laws have been invoked over the years in a variety of ways. A federal appeals court ruled in 2004 that the New York Police Department was justified in denying an outdoor rally permit to an organization that called itself the Church of the American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. The permit was denied on the grounds that participants would be violating the state’s anti-mask law."

Joe Bar said...

It has long been against the law to wear a mask in public, with exceptions, in many states. I belive it is a felony here in VA. The Kung Flu gave everyone a reason to ignore these laws. I guess we're over that.

The Godfather said...

YES!!! If it were up to me I'd title my anti-masking bill as the "Anti-Ku Klux Klan Terrorism Act".

Enigma said...

Everyone learned this after the Civil War circa 1865, as the KKK started wearing masks and then terrorized the country for decades. See The Birth of a Nation (1915). While the right wing is routinely stuck in the mud, the left wing insists on reinventing its prior failures to have a fresh problem to solve.

Why wasn't mask wearing called out in 2019 when ANTIFA bashed their lefty buddy Andy Ngo senseless? [Rhetorical question, as the left used violence happily until Israel/Palestine precipitated a return to circular firing squad mode.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birth_of_a_Nation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Ngo

The Godfather said...

You say: "Not wearing masks puts the power back [sic -- this is a "tell" of antisemitism -- the JEWS ALWAYS used to have this power] in the hands of the Leftwing/zionists DAs who will Dox/prosecute anyone they don't like. And let the people they do like go scot free."
I think there are good reasons to oppose some anti-masking laws without citing anti-Semitic tropes.

PM said...

Since they're always in a crowd, they should make a 'we're being covid safe' argument.

loudogblog said...

What they should have done is add extremely serious sentencing enhancements for committing crimes in a mask.

Political Junkie said...

Agree. I just am ok with the cops doing some "proactive" policing.

mikee said...

I recall way back before 2020 when my bank had a sign forbidding the wearing of so much as a hat and sunglasses when entering the lobby, let alone a mask, under penalty of law and threat of immediate arrest. And I think some of the off-duty cops working security might just shoot first and ask about the sunglasses later. Good Times. The Old Days.