The Philadelphia City Council voted late last week to issue a ban against the wearing of ski masks in certain parts of the city. The bill is now on the desk of Mayor Jim Kenney, whose office will review the legislation ahead of moving it into law.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the bill, authored by Councilmember Anthony Philips, passed in the council on a 13-2 vote last Thursday (November 30). As the publication reports, the ban would allow police officers to fine individuals $250 for wearing a ski or balaclava mask in parks, schools, day-care centers, on public transit, and in buildings owned by the city.
The balaclava mask, also known as the “Shiesty” mask, is popular in many urban areas and has become something of a clothing staple for some. There are some critics of the ban, believing that the rule will unfairly target people for simply wearing an article of clothing.
Phillips says that his side is working on a marketing campaign for the rule should it come to law. There are questions about how the law would be enforced by police officers, although it seems that many are in favor of the ban.
There is resistance to the ban as groups such as the ACLU and local activists believe that the law will be used by officers to overstep the rights of others.
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