Nassau County legistlators approved a bill outlawing the wearing of masks in public, News 12 Long Island reported. Under the new legislation, violators could face a year in prison and a $1,000 fine for illegally wearing a mask in public.
The "Mask Transparency Act" was passed in light of the antisemitism displayed at anti-Israel protests, where demonstrators frequently wear masks or other face coverings to avoid being identified.
All 12 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while all seven Democrats abstained.
The act allows for exemptions for health and religious reasons. Despite these exemptions, opponents of the legislation claimed that it harms freedom of speech and that the power given to the police to determine if a person has a legitimate reason for wearing a mask could lead to discrimination against racial minorities.
A female protester attempted to disrupt the proceedings and caused a police officer to fall and hurt his knee. She was removed from the room and was charged with second degree assault, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration.
Nassau legislator Mazi Pilip, who is Jewish, has previously stated that the legislation is necessary to prevent people from committing crimes while hiding behind masks, particularly hate crimes against Jewish people.
Last month, Pilip said, "Talk is cheap. What I’m asking for is action. We are going after the thugs who are terrorizing the Jewish community. I’m sick and tired of it."
Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), have called for the reinstitution of New York's two century-old law banning the wearing of masks in public in light of the prevalence of masks at antisemitic rallies. The law, which was once used to combat the Ku Klux Klan, was repealed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Governor Kathy Hochul have expressed their support for a law barring masks.
In June, Columbia University announced that is had closed its investigation into the incident in which anti-Israel protesters held a sign calling on the Hamas terrorist organization to murder Jewish students on the university campus, citing a lack of ability to identify the protesters due to the masks they wore.
The incident occurred on April 20, a few days after anti-Israel protesters began setting up tent encampments on the Columbia campus. A woman whose face was covered by a kaffiyeh held a sign pointing to pro-Israel counter-protesters that read, "Al-Qassam's next targets."