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.
—
Photo:
Getty
