150-Year-Old Law Against Wearing Masks Used to Arrest Wall Street Demonstrators

[xchrom]

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/09/occupy_wall_str_2.php

Yesterday we reported that seven people had been arrested for participating in Occupy Wall Street, the vaguely defined, relatively disorganized financial-district protest that's been going on (and dwindling down) for the past few days. Amid accusations of excessive police force, there was also the question of what, exactly, the protesters were being arrested for. Turns out, there's a 150-year-old New York City law that bans "masked gatherings." Five of the people arrested have been issued a violation for wearing masks.

The Wall Street Journal reports that 28-year-old Max Hodes, along with a few other people wearing bandanas, were pulled from a line of protestors and taken to the 1st Precinct, where he was issued a summons for "loitering and wearing mask." According to the New York Times, two men wearing masks and a woman with a plastic mask on the back of her head -- possibly Anonymous "V" masks -- were also arrested.

The anti-mask law goes back to 1845, when tenant farmers used disguises (dressing up like Indians) to attack law enforcement officials, apparently. In 1965 the law was updated to prevent masked gatherings of two or more people, except in the case of masquerade parties. Whew.

[SpiralHawk]

1. If masks are outlawed, then only outlaws (R) will have masks

[dtexdem]

2. Using any dodge to deny people a voice.

I hope the law is declared unconstitutional.

[G_j]

3. will they remember that next new years eve? nt

[Demeter]

4. How Convenient!

I'd just call it a big party, a masquerade, and have done with that pretext.

[marmar]

5. Wow. Just wow.

V for Vendetta. Who knew it was a documentary?

[pennylane100]

6. Well that should sit well with the burqa wearers.

[LiberalFighter]

7. I guess they don't know about the Constitution's protection of Free Speech.

[Denninmi]

8. Well, they better round up the trick or treaters, then.

Thow those menace to society types in jail. Good-N-Plenty and M&M's indeed.

[Horse with no Name]

9. Interesting turn of history there

The bandits are on the INSIDE stealing the money...yet, the masked ones who are trying to stop them are arrested.

[stuntcat]

11. right!?

Sheesh.

I've been watching the protest some, wishing I was there too. What will it take to get regular people to care enough to do something? To do ANYTHING?

[midnight]

10. Laws are just for the little people.... Can you imagine all the laws wall street broke and only

Madoff was arrested...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j2esw2B8TI&feature=player_embedded Before Spitzer was fired he discusses why the mortgage situation is fraud... Lloyd Blankfein traded on inside information?

[bemildred]

12. Well, I guess everybody needs to wear a mask then. nt

[William769]

13. K&R.

[Riftaxe]

14. Older laws against murder are also still enforced

Where is the outrage over that?

[Horse with no Name]

15. Well because murder still occurs

Tribes of Indians don't frequently attack Wall Street anymore...although they should...but make no mistake, tribes of Wall Streeters attack Indians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff_Indian_lobbying_scandal

[Riftaxe]

18. Well if you find a law against masks so horrific

Might i suggest you take a day next summer go to New York City for a civil protest, and perhaps wear a ski mask?

Now standing on a street corner wearing a ski mask won't let you meet many people, make sure to wear it into as many banks, liquor and convenience stores just to maximize your exposure in places where people congregate?

Surely they and their customers will recognize and appreciate your protest against silly laws against obfuscating identities.

[-..__...]

16. Other localities/States have similar "no masks" laws...

but those were enacted to deal with the KKK.

[dkf]

17. I bet they had to dig around to find that one.

[Odin2005]

19. The PTB use anything at their disposal to repress dissent.

[mmonk]

20. Do they arrest the Klan during their demonstrations?

[Ter]

23. There are Klan demonstrations in NYC?

I sure hope not!

[surrealAmerican]

25. Not recently, certainly, but ...

... a hundred or so years ago, it wouldn't surprise me if there were.

[mmonk]

28. I have no idea. I was wondering how solid that law is.

As a member of the SPLC, I know there are hate groups in every state.

[Dawson Leery]

21. The uniform serves the powerful.

That is the way it has always been.

[drokhole]

22. And the great irony is that these are the arrests being made on Wall Street...

...while the ruthless, criminal fucks in the buildings have gotten off scot-free.

:banghead:

[surrealAmerican]

24. Has this law been used in the past to prevent peaceful protests?

If so, when?

[malaise]

26. K & R n/t

[jumptheshadow]

27. What about NYC's magnificient Halloween parade?

http://www.halloween-nyc.com/

I'm assuming that is a masquerade party?

It sure generates a lot of income for NY.

[dembotoz]

29. during 911 did they arrest the rescue workers

due to the smoke and dust i remember lots of people wearing masks.

[Fire Walk With Me]

30. "Law and order puppets, remote-controlled by greed." -Devo, "Smooth Noodle Maps"

[butterfly77]

31. Kicked&Recommended...