Mask bans are growing in popularity. Critics call the trend a 'dog whistle' to quell protest.
Once seen as a symbol of protection against the spread of a deadly virus, masks are now being blamed for emboldening some people to commit acts of violence amid a rise in clashes at protests over the Israel-Hamas war.
Once seen as a symbol of protection against the spread of a deadly virus, masks are now being blamed for emboldening some people to commit acts of violence amid a rise in clashes at protests over the Israel-Hamas war.
Elected officials in New York City and Los Angeles have signaled recently that they’re open to reinstating decades-old mask bans after several tense pro-Palestinian demonstrations, where local officials say masked protesters aimed to conceal their identity. Republicans in North Carolina recently signed a controversial mask restriction into law, sparking an intense debate between supporters who cite safety concerns and critics who argue it could affect protesting and free speech rights. In January, Philadelphia banned ski masks in public spaces in an effort to reduce crime, citing several incidents of violence involving masked gunmen.
But for many opponents, mask crackdowns of any kind raise serious concerns about their immediate and long-term threat to public health.
“It sends a bit of [an] authoritarian chill down my spine,” said Katherine Macfarlane, the director of the disability law and policy program at Syracuse University College of Law.
Student protesters on college campuses in Florida, Ohio and Texas have even been threatened with arrest and/or felony charges by local police and school personnel for wearing masks.
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