Jewish community leaders in New York City are calling for the reinstatement of an anti-mask rule to prevent protestors from concealing their true identities.
Amidst an alarming surge in antisemitic incidents across the US, a number of Jewish community leaders in New York City are pushing for the resurrection of an anti-mask law to stop demonstrators from hiding their real identities during hate-filled protests, according to the New York Post.
Prominent Jewish individuals have expressed support for reintroducing an anti-mask statute that was previously used to combat the Ku Klux Klan’s disguised identity. This demand is in reaction to an extraordinary surge in hate crimes against Jews, with the NYPD reporting a 150% increase in May.
On Monday, protesters unexpectedly captured a New York City subway train. They were all wearing COVID masks, balaclavas, keffiyehs, or sunglasses to cover their faces. They invited “Zionists” to raise their hands, saying, “This is your chance to get out.”
In a similar occurrence in Union Square, two activists wearing masks carried a banner reading “Long Live October 7.”
The Anti-Defamation League labels it ‘an emergency’ and seeks a mask legislation.
Scott Richman, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, told the New York Post that “this is a crisis, an emergency.”
“We need a comprehensive plan to stop the rising tide of antisemitism to protect Jewish New Yorkers and all New Yorkers,” he stated, adding that “a mask law will make a difference.”
According to Richman, the organization should support such legislation again, having originally advocated for it across the United States in the 1950s.
He emphasized how anti-mask legislation has historically been effective in reducing the Ku Klux Klan and stated that the law can still play an essential role now.
After nearly 200 years, New York’s law was repealed in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NYDP data showed a spike in antisemitic occurrences.
The intensity of the situation is further demonstrated by NYPD figures, which show that around 173 antisemitic hate crimes were registered in 2024, compared to 101 in 2023.
Meanwhile, Staten Island Republican Assemblyman Michael Reilly has filed a bill to reinstate the mask ban, setting the groundwork for future legislation.
Legal Voices has questioned the First Amendment protections afforded to these disguised protests, emphasizing their character as targeted harassment.
“These protests are not protected under the First Amendment because they are engaged in targeted harassment and incitement of violence,” stated Matthew Schweber, a member of Columbia University’s Jewish Alumni Association.
