A new proposal by Gov. Kathy Hochul to ban masks on the New York subway is drawing backlash from civil liberties groups and disability advocates, reviving a long-standing debate about the right to anonymous protest that has only grown more complex since the pandemic.
Hochul, a Democrat, backed the idea this week following a spate of confrontations involving masked pro-Palestinian activists that the governor and others have characterized as antisemitic. She said the legislation — which has not yet been crafted — would include “common-sense exemptions” for those who cover their faces for medical or religious reasons.
