When mask mandates went into effect during the pandemic, pushback came from critics who not only questioned their effectiveness, but also discussed the security implications of normalizing the concealing of one’s identity. It became a public safety issue that now even Democrats can't ignore.
In New York, Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul is considering a ban on face masks on NYC subways due to the rise in antisemitic acts.
At a sweeping press conference on public safety, Hochul started by addressing two recent incidents that have targeted Jewish New Yorkers. The governor pointed to a Tuesday vandalism at the home of the Brooklyn Museum's director, and a reported train incident the night prior where "a group donning masks took over a subway car, scaring riders and chanting things about Hitler and wiping out Jews."[…]
Hochul said she has started discussions with Mayor Eric Adams and state lawmakers about a potential mask crackdown. A previous state law banning face masks in public was reversed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic when masks became mandatory in most settings.
Shortly thereafter, Adams voiced his support during an interview on the "Cats & Cosby" radio show. He made a comparison between people wearing masks to "hide their faces" and the Ku Klux Klan.
"Dr. King did not hide his face when he marched and for the things he thought were wrong in the country. Those civil rights leaders did not hide their faces. They stood up. In contrast to that, the Klan hid their faces," Adams said Thursday. (NBC New York)
Hochul said hiding behind masks to carry out criminal behavior will not be tolerated.
"My team is working on a solution, but on a subway, people should not be able to hide behind a mask to commit crimes," she said.