NY Governor Proposes Mask Ban On NYC Subway To Combat Antisemitic Incidents

Hochul, a Democrat, mentioned that while the specifics of the policy are yet to be defined, it would include “common-sense exemptions” for health, cultural, or religious reasons. Many people still wear masks on the subway due to concerns about COVID-19 and air pollution.

The governor stated she is in discussions with lawmakers about possibly drafting a bill to address this issue.

During a news conference in Albany, Hochul explained her motivation to act was prompted by an incident where “a group donning masks took over a subway car, scaring riders and chanting things about Hitler and wiping out Jews” on Monday night. The details of this incident were not entirely clear, but it seemed to be a mix-up of various events linked to pro-Palestinian demonstrations that occurred that day in Union Square Park.

Following a rally, hundreds of people poured into a subway station, some carrying flags and beating drums as they boarded trains heading downtown. On one train, a man without a mask led a chant of “Raise your hands if you’re a Zionist” to other passengers, followed by, “This is your chance to get out.”

In addition, a video circulating on social media showed an earlier confrontation in Union Square, where a man — also not wearing a mask — was recorded shouting, “I wish Hitler was still here. He would’ve wiped all you out.” It was unclear if this man was involved in the protest or who he was shouting at. At that time, a group of people waving Israeli flags was also present in the park.

“We will not tolerate individuals using masks to evade responsibility for criminal or threatening behavior,” Hochul declared. “My team is working on a solution, but on a subway, people should not be able to hide behind a mask to commit crimes.”

New York introduced a law banning face masks in public in the 1800s in response to rent protests. This law was suspended in 2020 by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo as part of a public health campaign during the pandemic, and masks were mandated for subway riders until September 2022.

The mask ban had previously faced criticism from civil rights groups who argued it was selectively enforced to break up protests where participants wanted to conceal their identities to avoid legal or professional repercussions.

“The Governor’s concerns about masks disguising criminal activity won’t be quelled by banning anonymous peaceful protest. Mask bans were originally developed to quash political protests and, like other laws that criminalize people, they will be selectively enforced — used to arrest, doxx, surveil, and silence people of color and protestors the police disagree with,” Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. “A mask ban would be easily violated by bad actors and, if someone engages in unlawful actions, the judgment should be made based on the criminal behavior, not their attire.”

Hochul acknowledged the complexity of reinstating a mask ban. “We understand how complex this issue is, and we’re just listening to people and addressing their needs and taking them very seriously,” she said.

Since the conflict between Hamas and Israel began in October, there have been numerous pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel demonstrations in the city, most of which were peaceful. However, some included speech viewed as antisemitic or threatening to Jews, such as calls for an intifada, referring to the violent uprisings by Palestinians in the late 1980s and early 2000s. There have also been reports of assaults on Jews or Israel supporters outside the rallies.

On Monday, anti-Israel demonstrators gathered outside a Manhattan exhibit dedicated to the Nova outdoor rave massacre, where more than 360 people were killed. Mask-wearing participants displayed a banner calling for repeat attacks and waved flags of terror groups, including Hamas, which conducted the devastating October 7 attack on southern Israel. Participants claimed mask-wearing is common due to fears of police surveillance.

Mayor Eric Adams has also suggested reviving some form of past mask bans, proposing that shopkeepers request people to remove masks to enter.

Although the use of face coverings in public has declined since COVID-19 deaths decreased, many still wear them. “There are people that are at high risk for severe disease from a respiratory infection who may be using masks in a crowded congregated setting such as the subway to decrease their chance of acquiring an infection,” Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, stated via email.

{Matzav.com}