Police Attack Students at the Anti War March in Times Sq, NYC after Obamas West Point Speech
Anti-Mask: New York Penal Law § 240.35(4)
New York’s anti-mask law criminalizes the wearing of masks or disguises by three or more persons in a public place unless done in connection with a “masquerade party or like entertainment,” after obtaining a permit to wear masks from the police or other appropriate authorities. The courts have defined “like entertainment” as “social gatherings, dances, and performances that involve masks or costumes,” Under the current law, wearing a bandana tied around one’s face falls within the scope of the mask prohibition.
The courts have held that the anti-mask law furthers the important governmental interest of deterring violence and facilitating the apprehension of wrong-doers who seek to hide their identity. Since 2001, both the New York City Criminal Court and the Second Circuit Court of
Appeals have held that the anti-mask law is not overly broad or facially unconstitutional.
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