Representative Ritchie Torres from the Bronx accused Governor Kathy Hochul of delaying the implementation of a law to prohibit public mask-wearing. He believes that this delay is allowing hateful individuals to spread their messages freely. This accusation came following an incident where a group of anti-Israel protesters, wearing keffiyeh scarves, occupied a building at Barnard College.

Torres emphasized the need for such a law and called on the governor to support regulations that would restrict the wearing of masks during public demonstrations. He specifically asked for these measures to be included in the upcoming state budget, expected to be finalized by April 1.

In a strongly-worded letter addressed to Governor Hochul, the Democratic congressman emphasized that mere statements about banning masks are insufficient without concrete actions through legislation and executive orders.

“The People of New York need decisive action from a governor who has been absent in the fight to unmask hate.”

Torres also accused New York officials, including Hochul, of violating federal anti-discrimination law by failing to prevent the harassment of Jewish students on college campuses.

“The State of New York’s acceptance of masked harassment and intimidation against Jewish students on college campuses violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in education on the basis of race, color, or national origin,” he said.

“As governor, the buck stops with you.”

New York long had a ban of mask wearing, which was repealed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as face-covering mandates were imposed to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

Proponents of reviving the mask ban argue that protesters and vandals cover their faces to hide their identity and avoid responsibility and accountability for their actions.

Torres noted that mask bans were put in place across the country to expose and arrest Ku Klux Klan members who terrorized and killed black residents.

“Contrary to false narratives, mask bans have a long history of defending civil rights rather than

endangering them,” the congressman said.

“No one at the time—except the KKK and its sympathizers—would have said that the KKK had a First Amendment Right to mask itself.”

A recent poll conducted for the civil rights coalition #UnMaskHateNY found that 75% of New Yorkers support a mask ban and 76% of Jewish voters are concerned about being singled out for discrimination, the highest of any group.

“The time has come for the governor to side with the people over the interest groups,” wrote Torres, who is weighing a run for governor against fellow Democrat Hochul next year.

Torres previously ripped Hochul for not mentioning a mask ban as a priority in her State of the State policy address in January.

Hochul spokesman Sam Spokony responded that “Governor Hochul has repeatedly expressed support for restricting masks and will review any mask ban that passes the Legislature.”

Hochul told reporters in late January, “I have said I would consider language that says if you commit a crime while wearing a mask, there should be enhanced penalties and the process is not over yet.”

A bill introduced in the legislature would not ban mask wearing outright, but create the low level crime of “masked harassment”.

The violation-level penalty would specifically target someone who harasses another while wearing a mask for the “primary purpose of menacing or threatening violence.”

There would be exemptions from mask restrictions for medical or religious purposes.