More than 100 pro-Israeli demonstrators gathered near Columbia University on Tuesday, Aug. 27, advocating for universities to ban face masks and coverings during protests. They argued that such bans would enhance safety and address concerns about people concealing their identities to avoid arrest.
Those against a face mask ban say it is a student’s right to wear one if they choose. This call for a mask ban follows confrontations during spring protests at Columbia, where some pro-Palestinian demonstrators wore masks while vandalizing the campus and committing antisemitic acts.
“While removing masks won’t eliminate hatred, it might introduce accountability,” Shai Davidi, an assistant professor at Columbia Business School, told CBS News.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams indicated he shares these concerns. He has previously expressed support for a mask ban with exceptions for health or religious reasons.
However, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union said the ban gives police too much power.
“Masks not only protect people’s health, but they also permit people to engage in protected First Amendment activity,” the attorney said.
In Nassau County, New York, a newly enacted mask ban sparked controversy.
On Sunday, Aug. 25, an 18-year-old migrant was the first person arrested under this law. According to The New York Times, he was charged with wearing a mask in public and possessing a 14-inch knife. His arrest marked a milestone moment in the debate over mask regulations in New York state.
