Former Gov. David Paterson on Sunday supported reinstating a ban on wearing masks in public places to thwart moped criminals, Jew-hating rioters and other lawbreakers who cover their faces to hide their identities.
He said civil rights advocates should get out of the way and not try to block such legislation.
“many [moped bandits] “The victims are wearing masks to prevent their identity from being identified to police,” Patterson said. I said on Sunday “The Cats Roundtable” on 77 WABC Radio.
He noted that both Gov. Kathy Hockle and New York City Mayor Eric Adams support reinstating the law, which was repealed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exceptions would be for people who wear face coverings for religious or health reasons, cultural observances or holiday costumes.
“Sometimes you have to manage what’s going on around you and not always have to follow vague principles that don’t work,” Patterson told host John Catsimatidis.
“The New York Civil Liberties Union is against wearing masks. [ban] “Because they feel it infringes on their freedom of speech and, of course, their freedom of movement,” said the Democrat who led New York from 2008 to 2010.
“But at the same time, unless there are better proposals to reduce the number of crimes, you just step back and let the people who are responsible for dealing with that problem find their own way, and if the legislature wants to pass a law, that law should take precedence over your interests,” he added.
The movement to reinstate the mask ban has gained momentum after masked thugs took over a Manhattan subway car last week and demanded that “Zionists” put their hands up, adding that “now’s your chance to get out.”
Masked vandals splattered the door of the home of Brooklyn Museum director Anne Pasternak with red paint and hung a banner calling her a “white supremacist Zionist.”
Meanwhile, the city has been hit by a spate of shocking robberies committed by masked moped drivers.
State Attorney General Letitia James is also behind the effort to expose haters and criminals.
“No one should be allowed to hide behind a mask and spew hate,” a spokesman for Attorney General James told The Post on Friday.
Patterson praised Adams and the NYPD’s overall approach to reckless moped drivers.
“Some of the things they’re doing on bikes, they should go to jail,” he said of criminals.
The former governor said New Yorkers still don’t feel as safe as they did “five or six years ago.”
“Just getting out of your car is an invitation to attack. I hope police continue their efforts. They seem to be making progress. If they make enough progress, we will feel it,” Patterson said.
Paterson added that he would be “shocked” if Gov. Hawkle approves a $15 congestion charge for entering Midtown below 60th Street after the November election. The governor halted the unpopular charge at the last minute, saying it was too costly for New Yorkers at the moment. The nation’s first congestion charge was scheduled to go into effect on June 30 until Hawkle rescinded it earlier this month.
“That would spark rumors that maybe he actually delayed it until after Election Day to give Democrats an advantage in congressional elections,” Patterson said of the idea that Hawkle would reinstate the measure after November.
“I would be shocked if that happened. As the deadline approached, I felt she was really uncomfortable with the whole process and was looking to do something different,” he said.
“It would be best for her to find another way. [to finance the MTA]. “
He said the big proponents of congestion pricing, first former Mayor Mike Bloomberg and then former Governor Andrew Cuomo, “probably [the toll] It wasn’t the best decision.”
