Editorial | It's time for New York to reinstate the mask ban | amNewYork

"The mask ban that was lifted during the outbreak to protect New Yorkers was never reinstated in full, and current events should compel New York state, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, to finally make certain the masks come off for good for anyone who does not truly need them. Today, we see people wearing masks for the commission of mischief and mayhem on both sides of the law."

"On one side are protesters who have marched through the streets and congregated on college campuses, wearing masks to protect themselves from being identified by anyone, including law enforcement. Many of these masked protesters have committed crimes from trespassing onto private property to hate-motivated harassment, vandalism, and even assault. Protesters in Columbia University on the ground, with their hands up, as police move in to break up the Hamilton Hall siege on April 30, 2024.Screenshot from bodycam video courtesy of NYPD"

"On the other side are ICE agents who roam the halls of Federal Plaza's immigration court, and now the streets of the city, to apprehend immigrants. They are masked up, the federal Department of Homeland Security claims, to guard themselves from being doxxed the practice of individuals combing the internet to find the real identities of individuals and expose their backgrounds, including sensitive information such as home addresses."

Face masks are no longer necessary for the general public more than five years after COVID-19, except for those who are ill or medically vulnerable. New York lifted emergency mask bans but never fully reinstated pre-pandemic norms, and state leadership should ensure masks are no longer required for those without medical need. Mask-wearing is being used to evade identification and accountability: protesters wear masks to avoid being identified while committing trespass, harassment, vandalism, and assault, and ICE agents mask to avoid doxxing while apprehending immigrants. Both groups rely on anonymity to shield potentially unlawful actions.

Read at www.amny.com