Amid intense debate, NY county passes mask ban to address antisemitic attacks

A suburban county in New York passed a law earlier this week banning masks and face coverings in public.

On Monday, Nassau County lawmakers passed the Mask Transparency Act, which makes it illegal to wear masks or other facial coverings in public, with exceptions given for medical, religious, or cultural reasons. The law was passed along party lines, with 12 Republican members of the county legislature voting for the law, and seven Democrats abstaining.

Violators could face a fine of up to $1,000 or up to a year in jail.

The law is expected to be signed into effect by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who said after the vote that, “Unless someone has a medical condition or a religious imperative, people should not be allowed to cover their face in a manner that hides their identity when in public.”

Law designed to prevent antisemitic attacks

Nassau County lawmakers said that the measure was written to prevent criminal behavior and violence associated with public protests in mind, specifically antisemitic attacks associated with pro-Palestinian protests that have emerged in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

Passage of the measure was fraught, with one protester having to be escorted out of Monday’s public hearing by police.

The New York Civil Liberties Union also decried the law, calling it “a dangerous misuse of the law the score political points and target protestors.”

“Masks protect people who express political opinions that are unpopular,” NYCLU Nassau County Regional Director Susan Gottehrer said in a statement. “Making anonymous protest illegal chills political action and is ripe for selective enforcement, leading to doxing, surveillance, and retaliation against protestors.”

Growing trend of mask crackdowns

The Nassau County law is part of a growing trend of crackdowns on wearing facial coverings and masks in public, amidst ongoing public protests around the country and fears of criminal activity.

In recent months, both New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have threatened similar actions in response to antisemitic incidents on the New York City subway system.

In North Carolina, the state legislature overrode a veto by Governor Roy Cooper, implementing a law restricting wearing masks in public spaces except for health reasons.

Similarly, during student protests in Florida, Ohio and Texas earlier this year, attorneys threatened to charge people under seldom-enforced anti-mask laws.

Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com