Governor Kathy Hochul said Thursday that she was considering an at least partial ban on wearing face masks on the New York City subway — citing recent threatening behavior in the system involving masked protesters. During an event in the state capitol where she touted a decrease in shootings across the state, Hochul also brought up an incident following a pro-Palestinian protest at Union Square Park on Monday. Video footage shows a man in a full subway car at the 14th Street–Union Square station beginning a call-and-response chant with other protesters: “Raise your hand if you’re a Zionist! This is your chance to get out!” Some of those chanting on the train wore face masks.
“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.
The governor said that she has spoken with Mayor Eric Adams on the topic, calling him “outspoken on this issue,” and said she’s started conversations with lawmakers in the State Legislature (any change would require their approval). Hochul seemed open to some allowances for face coverings, including those masking for medical reasons or religious garb. “I assure everyone, we understand how complex this issue is. And we’re just listening to people and addressing their needs and taking them very seriously,” she said.
For 200 years, New York State had a statute on the books banning public face coverings with the threat of imprisonment as part of a public-loitering law. The rule was repealed in 2020 by the State Legislature after then-Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order requiring New Yorkers to wear masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adams seemed to indicate support for a mask ban of some form during a Thursday interview with WABC. “I think now is the time to go back to the way it was pre-COVID, where you should not be able to wear a mask at protests and our subway systems and other places,” he said.
This is not a new stance for the mayor. During a March 2023 interview, Adams advised shop owners to not allow potential customers into their store without first removing their face mask as an attempt to ward off potential robberies. “We are putting out a clear call to all of our shops: Do not allow people to enter the store without taking off their face mask,” he said on 1010WINS at the time. “Once they’re inside, they can continue to wear it if they so desire to do so.”
