© Allen Eyestone / USA TODAY NETWORK
Syndication: Palm Beach Post
(Garden City, NY) — It will soon be against the law to wear a mask to hide your identity in Nassau County. Republican county lawmakers voted 12-nothing to approve the mask ban Monday night. The seven Democrats in the legislature all abstained. The bill, when signed into law by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, would hit people who use masks to hide their identities with a one thousand dollar fine and possibly up to a year in jail. Republicans say too many anti-Israel protesters have used masks to hide their identities while committing crimes. They also say those who want to rob local stores have used the masks to conceal who they are. Those wearing masks for health and religious reasons would be allowed to continue to wear them.
Democrats say the bill’s language will expose the county to a slew of civil liberties lawsuits. A number of people spoke out against the bill before the vote, in what was a raucous meeting at times. It’s unclear how police will be directed to enforce the new law.
