Jewish leaders say their top priority in New York next year will be passing a law banning wearing masks in public in Albany to deter bigots and other criminals spewing hate. It is said that it is to encourage.
“There is no First Amendment right to harass people or commit serious crimes,” said state Rep. Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx), a co-sponsor of the bill banning such masks. ” he said.
“It will be illegal to harass, occupy, or intimidate people while concealing their identity, but with impunity,” Dinowitz said. He said such measures were premature given the level of hatred, vandalism and intimidation that had taken place. , terrorist attack on Israel.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, told the Post:
“I'm optimistic this bill will pass, but it's going to take time,” he said. “We need to work to get members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to understand that bigotry is not political.”
Greenblatt spoke on the Post editorial board, and liberals such as the New York Civil Liberties Union argue that such bans stifle the free speech rights of protesters and dissidents, including those opposed to Israel. said.
But supporters of the bill say at least some mask-wearing protesters and vandals are emboldened to spread hate because their identities are hidden.
“We have freedom of expression, but it's wrong to threaten people because of their ethnicity, religion or other identity,” Greenblatt said.
The proposed bill would exempt individuals who are required to wear a mask because of their health, religious beliefs, or job safety.
Dinowitz said penalties for those who ignore this measure and intentionally wear masks during hateful protests, vandalism or other crimes range from violations to aggravated harassment and up to one year in prison. It is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 20 years.
Long Island's Republican-controlled Nassau County approved such a ban in August, and the measure has been upheld in court, at least so far.
ADL is part of the #UnmaskHateNY coalition, which supports the campaign to outlaw “purposeful masked intimidation” that harasses and terrorizes Jews, Black people, and other Americans.
The NAACP and National Urban League are among the civil rights organizations participating in this coalition.
Advocates said these bans on wearing hoods and masks helped round out members of the Klu Klux Klan, which terrorized black people in the South.
But during the COVID-19 pandemic, such efforts were made in places such as New York, where face coverings were considered essential to curb the spread of the deadly disease at the peak of the outbreak. Restrictions on face coverings have been abolished.
The current escalation of anti-Semitism in New York has reached a breaking point, with some comparing the city to the 1930s and the rise of Nazism, Jewish leaders told the Post.
For example, hateful vandals sprinkled red paint on the home of the director of the Brooklyn Museum and a Jewish executive, and at least two homes were painted with red paint, a color used by Palestinian Hamas terrorists to mark their targets. Doodle triangle symbol.
Many other anti-Semitic crimes are committed by masked vandals and harassers who travel in groups to spread hateful terror, including on subways and on Ivy League campuses such as Columbia University in Manhattan.
“There is no constitutional right to intentionally conceal one's identity while hunting Jews in the New York City subways, shouting 'Death to the Jews!' and destroying university property.” New York Jewish Community “They vandalized the home of the director of the Jewish Museum with anti-Semitic graffiti solely because of her identity,” said Mark Traeger, CEO of the Association Council.
“These appalling actions are a reminder of the intent behind passing anti-mask laws in the early 20th century, and that intent was to provide the tools necessary to hold hate groups like the KKK accountable. was to be provided to law enforcement agencies.”
In October, the ADL released a shocking report revealing that the number of anti-Semitic attacks in the United States had jumped 200% in the past year, reaching more than 10,000 attacks. This is the highest number ever recorded by groups that track anti-Jewish hatred, and was largely fueled by large-scale riots against Jews. university campus.
“This bill is currently overdue and needed urgently,” said Dinowitz, a fellow Bronx Democrat and close ally of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. he said.
Hudson Valley Sen. James Skoufis (D-Cornwall), who is vying to become the next Democratic National Committee chairman, is pushing the bill in the Senate.
“We are grateful for the partnership and support from giants in New York’s civil rights and faith communities as we craft this important legislation,” Skoufis said in a statement.
“It is important that there is broad buy-in for this security measure to ensure that we do not have another year of people being attacked by people who cover their faces to avoid responsibility.”
Asked about the push, Hochul's office referred the Post to comments from the governor in June in which he, like state Attorney General Letitia James, voiced support for the mask ban.
“People have the right to be safe on public transportation and walking the streets at their places of worship,” the governor said at the time.
“And no one should be able to hide behind a nearly full-face mask and commit such atrocities against fellow New Yorkers. That's where we have to draw the line. ”
A spokesperson for #UnMaskHateNY, a coalition led by civil rights and religious leaders supporting the reinstatement of New York City's mask ban, said in a statement: “By 2024, the safety situation on campuses, streets, and subways will deteriorate. “And then people wearing masks will come in and out.” Harassment of New Yorkers became commonplace.
“We need accountability and redress.”
