New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Monday he is a strong supporter of Governor Kathy Hochul's proposal to ban face masks at protests and on the city's subways, sparking backlash across social media on Tuesday.
Amid growing concerns over how masks are being used by pro-Palestine demonstrators, Hochul, a Democrat, said last week that she is considering a ban on face masks in the New York City subway system. Although the details of the proposal are not clear, it would contain "common-sense exemptions" for health, cultural or religious reasons.
"We will not tolerate individuals using masks to evade responsibility for criminal or threatening behavior. My team is working on a solution. But on a subway, people should not be able to hide behind a mask to commit crimes," Hochul said, adding, "We understand how complex this issue is, and we're just listening to people and addressing their needs and taking them very seriously."
College campuses in New York City and nationwide have been at the forefront of pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protests since the Israel-Hamas war began, with many calling for a lasting ceasefire amid the rising death toll, particularly among civilians. On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest-ever airstrikes against Gaza. As of Tuesday, at least 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported, per the Israeli government. More than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, per the Gaza Health Ministry, according to AP.
On Monday, during his weekly news conference, Adams said he supports the proposed mask-wearing restrictions in the subway systems and for protests.
Newsweek has reached out to Hochul's and Adams' offices via email for comment.
"It's all about proper implementation," Adams said. "I'm a strong supporter of the decision of stopping masks on our subway system, of masks in protests and masks in other areas where it is not health related. I think that you're going to see a great deal of very violent protests and some of this despicable hate we're seeing, I think you're gonna see it dissipate.
"Masks are not new and covering your face while you do terrible things is not new....Cowards cover their faces. If you believe in something, then stand up and show your face. But standing on our trains, telling people 'if you're Zionists, raise your hand and get off,' show your face and say that."
Adams' support for Hochul's proposal comes after a video that circulated online last week showed masked protesters demanding that "Zionists" identify themselves and get off a subway car.
However, since Adams' comments, some have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to oppose the proposed mask ban and criticize Adams's support because of public health concerns.
Dr. Lucky Tran took aim at Adams for his support while pointing toward the air quality and the need for masks, writing on X: "The gall of NYC Mayor Eric Adams to warn people about air quality, and then push to ban masks, which is one of the best tools for protecting people from bad air quality."
In another post on X, Tran wrote: "Many people, particular those who are higher risk, are already locked out of society due to lack public health precautions. A mask ban at businesses and public transport will make it even worse. A mask ban is an ableist, anti-public health policy that will harm all New Yorkers."
Bill Comeau, an X user and COVID-19 scientific research and data sharer, pointed toward the virus that resulted in the use of masks being implemented across the country as a response to rising cases and deaths.
"@NYCmayor translation: the vulnerable, the sick, and the infectious will be forbidden from wearing masks on NY subways and in stores, even if it puts lives at risk. Only cowards wear masks on the way to medical treatment," Comeau wrote on X.
New York passed a law in the 1800s that made it a criminal violation for groups of people to wear masks in public. The statute was suspended in 2020 by Governor Andrew Cuomo as part of the COVID-19 pandemic public health campaign and masks were made mandatory for subway riders until September 2022.
However, Adams said the ban should not include those who wear masks for medical reasons, adding that the ban would make it easier for the police to identify criminals.
"I think it's going to stop a lot of these crimes we're seeing," he said. "People are using masks to commit crimes, to commit assaults. The difficult thing for the police department is to find suspects because of their full covering. And this is going to help us greatly."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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