Masking and the KKK laws in Ohio

[Hazelelponi]

Here is an interview with the attorney general for the state of Ohio:

If you don't want to watch the interview with the AG here's an article on the topic:

Ohio attorney general warns student protesters in masks could face felony charges under anti-KKK law

Republican Attorney General Dave Yost has advised Ohio's public universities that a law written to deter Ku Klux Klan demonstrations could be used to impose felony charges on students who wear face coverings during pro-Palestinian protests.

apnews.com

(I have been listening to news more due to eyesight problems)

Concealing your identity during the commission of a crime is an acceleration of any crime in the state of Ohio among other states. In Ohio it would accelerate a misdemeanor trespass into a felony trespass etc. according to their AG.

According to the free speech center there are 15 states with anti masking laws in the US, most of which pertains specifically to masked public demonstrations such as those once held by the KKK.

Anti-Mask Laws

Most anti-mask laws do not target specific groups. Instead, they typically ban mask wearing that intimidates. Opponents of such laws invoke First Amendment freedom of association.

firstamendment.mtsu.edu

This does create the situation that for some protestors in some states, masking could accelerate some of these charges to automatic felonies.

The Ohio AG sent a letter to Universities to warn them so that protestors won't unknowingly get saddled with a felony they didn't expect.

With protests still going on across the country, the court cases of the protestors will be coming into public view soon enough, and in some states the punishment may indeed be steep if the protestors continue to conceal their identity.

I did think this was fairly interesting at any rate.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I think that's going to be a tough one to enforce, even in Ohio (which tends to be a more conservative-leaning state, speaking as someone who lives here)

If you'll notice, half of them are wearing "covid masks"

They'll claim "health/medical reasons" for their face coverings which would likely lead to additional charges getting dropped.

Now, does anyone with two brain cells to rub together actually think that a bunch of 20-somethings (who've been camping outside, not showering, and urinating in empty bottles, not to mention doing "hunger strikes") are particularly concerned about hygiene and wellness? Obviously not...common sense dictates that they're doing it to be "radical" and for purposes of identity concealment.

...I'm just saying it'll be impossible to prove that they weren't doing it for "health reasons", and ambiguity/"sliver of doubt" favors the defendant.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I think that's going to be a tough one to enforce, even in Ohio (which tends to be a more conservative-leaning state, speaking as someone who lives here)

If you'll notice, half of them are wearing "covid masks"

They'll claim "health/medical reasons" for their face coverings which would likely lead to additional charges getting dropped.

Now, does anyone with two brain cells to rub together actually think that a bunch of 20-somethings (who've been camping outside, not showering, and urinating in empty bottles, not to mention doing "hunger strikes") are particularly concerned about hygiene and wellness? Obviously not...common sense dictates that they're doing it to be "radical" and for purposes of identity concealment.

...I'm just saying it'll be impossible to prove that they weren't doing it for "health reasons", and ambiguity/"sliver of doubt" favors the defendant.

Sorry missed the notification of your reply...

The problem with what you're thinking is that there's no COVID outbreak...

Sure they can cry COVID, but a bunch of healthy youth when there's no outbreak?

That's not going to fly in court...

 

[FireDragon76]

A shemagh is not a mask.

 

[Hazelelponi]

A shemagh is not a mask.

It's not niqab either. They wear it as a mask in order to hide their identity the same as the KKK...

 

[FireDragon76]

It's not niqab either. They wear it as a mask in order to hide their identity the same as the KKK...

The KKK didn't wear a mask to hide their identity, but to look like spectres or ghosts.

Wearing a shemagh could be a sign of solidarity with Palestinians, and not an attempt per se to hide ones identity.

 

[Hazelelponi]

The KKK didn't wear a mask to hide their identity, but to look like spectres or ghosts.

Wearing a shemagh could be a sign of solidarity with Palestinians, and not an attempt per se to hide ones identity.

A college campus in America doesn't have sand storms, and they aren't in danger of running into one.

So they aren't wearing them in solidarity with anyone but, at best, terrorists who hide their identity so they don't get arrested for crimes they may have committed.

But most terrorists actually don't cover their faces often... Just bank robbers and the like.

That and people who hang out on college campuses who have no clue, and don't want the cops to be able to identify them though in some cases it could be a concern about CIA and Interpol identification, who knows? We can't see their faces.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Sorry missed the notification of your reply...

The problem with what you're thinking is that there's no COVID outbreak...

Sure they can cry COVID, but a bunch of healthy youth when there's no outbreak?

That's not going to fly in court...

Doesn't even have to be covid, if there's any point of plausible deniability they can cling to, they'll use it. Trying to prove a negative is always an uphill battle in court.