To Mask or Not to Mask That is The Question?

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Written by: Zeus of Anonymous

 

I was out in Huntington, WV for a stroll the other day in my mask with video camera in hand when I was accosted by a law enforcement officer. He asked me if I was aware that the State of West Virginia forbids the wearing of masks by adults. Obviously my answer was “no” because I was first not aware of this law and secondly because I see the wearing of my mask as a personal means of self expression. Needless to say I was rather taken back by this and the officer was rather nice about it, he knew of Anonymous, what we stand for and agrees with what we are doing to cause change in the world we live in. That is why I will not divulge his name in this article. He showed me the decency and respect to let me go back to my car still masked without me being arrested or issued a citation therefore, I feel omitting his name would be a common courtesy. I returned home, did research online and come to find out there are many states who do in fact forbid the wearing of masks in public. I find this rather disturbing as we are supposed to live in a free society with a judicial system that is fair, just and sees an individual as being innocent until proven guilty. With that in mind, I never thought that laws would be passed not allowing the wearing of masks especially if it was clear that the wearer was not committing a crime, but instead, exercising their right to free speech and self expression while maintaining a level of personal anonimity. Here is a list of states and their statutes so my fellow anons will know if their state forbids it also. anonymous-mask-digital-art-wallpaper
CALIFORNIA Penal Code Section 182-185
185. Section One Hundred and Eighty-five. It shall be unlawful for any person to wear any mask, false whiskers, or any personal disguise (whether complete or partial) for the purpose of: One–Evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification in the commission of any public offense. Two–Concealment, flight, or escape, when charged with, arrested for, or convicted of, any public offense. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.

 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (Washington, D.C.)
§ 22-3312.03. Wearing hoods or masks.
(a) No person or persons over 16 years of age, while wearing any mask, hood, or device whereby any portion of the face is hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer, shall:
(1) Enter upon, be, or appear upon any lane, walk, alley, street, road highway, or other public way in the District of Columbia;
(2) Enter upon, be, or appear upon or within the public property of the District of Columbia; or
(3) Hold any manner of meeting or demonstration.
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section apply only if the person was wearing the hood, mask, or other device:
(1) With the intent to deprive any person or class of persons of equal protection of the law or of equal privileges and immunities under the law, or for the purpose of preventing or hindering the constituted authorities of the United States or the District of Columbia from giving or securing for all persons within the District of Columbia equal protection of the law;
(2) With the intent, by force or threat of force, to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person because of his or her exercise of any right secured by federal or District of Columbia laws, or to intimidate any person or any class of persons from exercising any right secured by federal or District of Columbia laws;
(3) With the intent to intimidate, threaten, abuse, or harass any other person;
(4) With the intent to cause another person to fear for his or her personal safety, or, where it is probable that reasonable persons will be put in fear for their personal safety by the defendant’s actions, with reckless disregard for that probability; or
(5) While engaged in conduct prohibited by civil or criminal law, with the intent of avoiding identification.

 

FLORIDA Chapter 876 Criminal Anarchy, Treason and other Crimes Against Public Order
876.13 Wearing mask, hood, or other device on public property.–No person or persons shall in this state, while wearing any mask, hood, or device whereby any portion of the face is so hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer, enter upon, or be, or appear upon or within the public property of any municipality or county of the state.
876.155 Applicability; ss. 876.12-876.15.–The provisions of ss. 876.12-876.15 apply only if the person was wearing the mask, hood, or other device:
(1) With the intent to deprive any person or class of persons of the equal protection of the laws or of equal privileges and immunities under the laws or for the purpose of preventing the constituted authorities of this state or any subdivision thereof from, or hindering them in, giving or securing to all persons within this state the equal protection of the laws;
(2) With the intent, by force or threat of force, to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person because of the person’s exercise of any right secured by federal, state, or local law or to intimidate such person or any other person or any class of persons from exercising any right secured by federal, state, or local law;
(3) With the intent to intimidate, threaten, abuse, or harass any other person; or
(4) While she or he was engaged in conduct that could reasonably lead to the institution of a civil or criminal proceeding against her or him, with the intent of avoiding identification in such a proceeding.

 

GEORGIA Code Title 16 – Crimes and Offenses,16-11-38.
(a) A person is guilty of a misdemeanor when he wears a mask, hood, or device by which any portion of the face is so hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer and is upon any public way or public property or upon the private property of another without the written permission of the owner or occupier of the property to do so.
(b) This Code section shall not apply to: (1) A person wearing a traditional holiday costume on the occasion of the holiday; (2) A person lawfully engaged in trade and employment or in a sporting activity where a mask is worn for the purpose of ensuring the physical safety of the wearer, or because of the nature of the occupation, trade, or profession, or sporting activity; (3) A person using a mask in a theatrical production including use in Mardi gras celebrations and masquerade balls; or (4) A person wearing a gas mask prescribed in emergency management drills and exercises or emergencies.

 

Louisiana RS 14:313
§313. Masks or hoods, wearing in public places prohibited; penalty; exceptions; permit to conduct Mardi Gras festivities, how obtained; wearing of hoods, masks, or disguises or giving of candy or other gifts by sex offenders
A. No person shall use or wear in any public place of any character whatsoever, or in any open place in view thereof, a hood or mask, or anything in the nature of either, or any facial disguise of any kind or description, calculated to conceal or hide the identity of the person or to prevent his being readily recognized.
B. Whoever violates this Section shall be imprisoned for not less than six months nor more than three years.
C. Except as provided in Subsection E of this Section, this Section shall not apply:
(1) To activities of children on Halloween, to persons participating in any public parade or exhibition of an educational, religious, or historical character given by any school, church, or public governing authority, or to persons in any private residence, club, or lodge room.
(2) To persons participating in masquerade balls or entertainments, to persons participating in carnival parades or exhibitions during the period of Mardi Gras festivities, to persons participating in the parades or exhibitions of minstrel troupes, circuses, or other dramatic or amusement shows, or to promiscuous masking on Mardi Gras which are duly authorized by the governing authorities of the municipality in which they are held or by the sheriff of the parish if held outside of an incorporated municipality.
(3) To persons wearing head covering or veils pursuant to religious beliefs or customs.
D. All persons having charge or control of any of the festivities set forth in Paragraph B(2) of this Section, shall, in order to bring the persons participating therein within the exceptions contained in Paragraph B(2), make written application for and shall obtain in advance of the festivities from the mayor of the city, town, or village in which the festivities are to be held, or when the festivities are to be held outside of an incorporated city, town, or village, from the sheriff of the parish, a written permit to conduct the festivities. A general public proclamation by the mayor or sheriff authorizing the festivities shall be equivalent to an application and permit.
E. Every person convicted of or who pleads guilty to a sex offense specified in R.S. 24:932, is prohibited from using or wearing a hood, mask or disguise of any kind with the intent to hide, conceal or disguise his identity on or concerning Halloween, Mardi Gras, Easter, Christmas, or any other recognized holiday for which hoods, masks, or disguises are generally used.
Acts 1999, No. 1043, §1; Acts 2008, No. 400, §1.

 

MICHIGAN
750.396 Wearing Mask or face covering device.
Sec. 396. A person who intentionally conceals his or her identity by wearing a mask or other device covering his or her face for the purpose of facilitating the commission of a crime is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.
History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;– CL 1948, 750.396 ;– Am. 2002, Act 672, Eff. Mar. 31, 2003
Former Law: See sections 1 and 2 of Act 276 of 1923, being CL 1929, §§ 16609 and 16610.
MINNESOTA Statutes, Chapter Criminal Code, Section 609.735
609.735 Concealing identity.
A person whose identity is concealed by the person in a public place by means of a robe, mask, or other disguise, unless based on religious beliefs, or incidental to amusement, entertainment, protection from weather, or medical treatment, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (HIST: 1963 c 753 art 1 s 609.735; 1971 c 23 s 73; 1986 c 444;1995 c 30 s 1)

 

NEW YORK Penal Law 240.35 (4):
Being masked or in any manner disguised by unusual or unnatural attire or facial alteration, loiters, remains or congregates in a public place with other persons so masked or disguised, or knowingly permits or aids persons so masked or disguised to congregate in a public place; except that such conduct is not unlawful when it occurs in connection with a masquerade party or like entertainment if, when such entertainment is held in a city which has promulgated regulations in connection with such affairs, permission is first obtained from the police or other appropriate authorities; (National Lawyers Guild NYC Chapter paper on the anti-mask law)

 

NORTH CAROLINA
While the following sections were enacted primarily as a result of KKK activities, it has been enforced against people wearing other types of masks, such as dust masks and team mascot masks.
§14-12.7. Wearing of masks, hoods, etc., on public ways.
No person or persons at least 16 years of age shall, while wearing any mask, hood or device whereby the person, face or voice is disguised so as to conceal the identity of the wearer, enter, be or appear upon any lane, walkway, alley, street, road, highway or other public way in this State. (1953, c. 1193, s. 6; 1983, c. 175, ss. 1, 10; c. 720, s. 4.)
§14-12.8. Wearing of masks, hoods, etc., on public property.
No person or persons shall in this State, while wearing any mask, hood or device whereby the person, face or voice is disguised so as to conceal the identity of the wearer, enter, or appear upon or within the public property of any municipality or county of the State, or of the State of North Carolina. (1953, c. 1193, s. 7.)

 

VIRGINIA  Section 18.2-422:
Prohibition of wearing of masks in certain places; exceptions.
It shall be unlawful for any person over sixteen years of age while wearing any mask, hood or other device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered so as to conceal the identity of the wearer, to be or appear in any public place, or upon any private property in this Commonwealth without first having obtained from the owner or tenant thereof consent to do so in writing. However, the provisions of this section shall not apply to persons (i) wearing traditional holiday costumes; (ii) engaged in professions, trades, employment or other activities and wearing protective masks which are deemed necessary for the physical safety of the wearer or other persons; (iii) engaged in any bona fide theatrical production or masquerade ball; or (iv) wearing a mask, hood or other device for bona fide medical reasons upon the advice of a licensed physician or osteopath and carrying on his person an affidavit from the physician or osteopath specifying the medical necessity for wearing the device and the date on which the wearing of the device will no longer be necessary and providing a brief description of the device. The violation of any provisions of this section shall constitute a Class 6 felony.

 

WEST VIRGINIA 61-6-22.
Wearing masks, hoods or face coverings.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no person, whether in a motor vehicle or otherwise, while wearing any mask, hood or device whereby any portion of the face is so covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer, may:
(1) Come into or appear upon any walk, alley, street, road, highway or other thoroughfare dedicated to public use;
(2) Come into or appear in any trading area, concourse, waiting room, lobby or foyer open to, used by or frequented by the general public;
(3) Come into or appear upon or within any of the grounds or buildings owned, leased, maintained or operated by the state or any political subdivision thereof;
(4) Ask, request, or demand entrance or admission to the premises, enclosure, dwelling or place of business of any other person within this state; or
(5) Attend or participate in any meeting upon private property of another unless written permission for such meeting has first been obtained from the owner or occupant thereof.
(b) The provisions of this section do not apply to any person:
(1) Under sixteen years of age;
(2) Wearing a traditional holiday costume;
(3) Engaged in a trade or employment where a mask, hood or device is worn for the purpose of ensuring the physical safety of the wearer;
(4) Using a mask, hood or device in theatrical productions, including use in mardi gras celebrations or similar masquerade balls;
(5) Wearing a mask, hood or device prescribed for civil defense drills, exercises or emergencies; or
(6) Wearing a mask, hood or device for the sole purpose of protection from the elements or while participating in a winter sport.
(c) Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned in the county jail not more than one year, or both fined and imprisoned
These are indeed laws that need to be changed as this is the first steps to the forming of an oppressive government like what we have now. While I understand the paranoia behind such laws being passed, censoring our right to self expression while maintaining our Anonimity is not the way to detour crime. Instead, it gives those law enforcment officials like Darren Wilson and many others who do not belong wearing a badge the carblonched authority to harass Anons nation wide if not do other things of a more severe nature.
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43 COMMENTS

  1. This is rather unfortunate. Thank the lord that I can wear my mask freely. I can understand that most people who do crimes would probably wear masks to hide their identities, but as I say you can’t punish everyone for a few peoples’ actions. They could of put these laws out in a way were it couldn’t take our rights for freedom of speech and expression. It seemed like at least one or two states tried to do that.

    Hopefully we can do something to change their minds. As hqanon said, we are innocent until proven guilty, so making people not wear masks because you think someone in that mask MIGHT commit a crime is just wrong.

  2. These laws cut both ways. They can be used to prevent the wearing of burkhas (sp?), which most believe to be a form of female subjugation. I personally would prefer to see the faces of those around me. Hiding one’s face from identification has been always the choice of people intent on committing crimes such as robbery. This leads to an understandable unease around people who have their faces covered…(unless one is familiar with Anonymous, in which case the unease would be replaced with curiosity!)

    • I believe the mask provides courage, not to commit crimes but to express ones self freely. Some people would prefer to see one another but I feel the mask put everyone on a neutral level which makes it easier to express ones emotions.

  5. I don’t know why these things continue to surprise me. Interesting that the law exists in so many states where the KKK is especially alive and well. They love their hooded masks! And while it’s certainly benign, I wonder how many celebrities in California (on the masks-illegal list) are aware of their criminal activity by disguising themselves for the purpose of privacy. Bet the country could feed all the hungry if each celebrity were ticketed for their heinous crimes.

  6. The obvious answer is to find somebody who is very good at face-painting. Unless there are laws against you wearing cosmetics, which I doubt, your anonymity will be secure. Paint doesn’t just make the ladeez look good, ya know?

  7. Oklahoma just passed a similar law and needs to be added to the list. In fact, it went as far as to say that “hoodies” couldn’t be worn.

  8. After reading this article, first of all, I’m lucky that I moved out of Florida so I don’t have to worry about getting into trouble like wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, for example. I live in Texas, now.

    Second of all, this is completely ridiculous and so unfair and really stupid that these states have forbidden us to wear a mask or hood in public ! hqanon, you are absolutely right about this situation, these so-called “laws” have taken away our freedom to express ourselves in what we all like,inspire, or feel as much about as taking away the Anonmity of everybody who likes, supports, or joins the Anonymous legion !

    I understand why these states have taken away to mask/hood ourselves like the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), for example, as much as God knows what other reasons that concern as to why this unwanted censorship is happening to everybody in the United States, but like you said at towards the end of your article, “censoring our right to self expression while maintaining our Anonimity is not the way to detour crime.”.

    Thank you for bringing this information to me and thank you for staying true,I must admit, at times like this, hacktivists are a girl’s best friend as much as raising me to become more like my true self .

    • If people would just come together in defiance of these laws and demand a redress then the laws would be repealed. Also it is my belief that any law that violates the US Constitution is an invalid law. I have written many letters to many politicians of course with no response. However this is my latest letter. Feel free to copy it and customize it to make it your own.
      To all elected officials,

      I am a US Citizen, a US Constitutionalist. I am putting you on notice. You will either uphold your oath, or find yourself fired from your position. I am aware of your lies. I know about your tactics to take away my freedoms. You have no honor or courage. However there is a way to regain your honor, but it will not be easy. This letter is being sent to every elected political official as well as certain independent news media.

      I am writing this letter in an attempt to get you to walk the just path to true and real freedom. I am going to quote some charges that the King John of England was accused of in 1776 that you and your fellow elected officials and Obama are committing now.

      1) He has refused to assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good
      2) He has dissolved Representative houses repeatedly, FOR OPPOSING WITH MANLY FIRMNESS HIS INVASIONS ON THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE.
      3) He has ERECTED A MULTITUDE OF NEW OFFICES, AND SENT HITHER SWARMS OF OFFICERS TO HARASS OUR PEOPLE, and eat out their substance.
      4) He has COMBINED WITH OTHERS TO SUBJECT US TO A JURISDICTION FOREIGN TO OUR CONSTITUTION, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their Acts of pretended legislation: *FOR PROTECTING THEM, by mock trial, FROM PUNISHMENT FOR ANY MURDERS WHICH THEY SHOULD COMMIT ON THE IN HABITANTS OF THESE STATES. *For imposing taxes on us without our consent. *FOR DEPRIVING US IN MANY CASES, OF THE BENEFIT OF TRIAL BY JURY: **For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and ALTERING FUNDAMENTALLY THE FORMS OF OUR GOVERNMENT: ***For suspending our own legislatures, and DECLARING THEMSELVES INVESTED WITH POWER TO LEGISLATE FOR US IN ALL CASES WHATSOEVER.
      5) He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, BURNT OUR TOWNS, AND DESTROYED THE LIVES OF OUR PEOPLE.
      6) He is at this time TRANSPORTING LARGE ARMIES OF FOREIGN MERCENARIES TO COMPLEAT THE WORKS OF DEATH, DESOLATION AND TYRANNY, ALREADY BEGUN WITH CIRCUMSTANCES OF CRUELTY & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.
      7) HE HAS EXCITED DOMESTIC INSURRECTIONS AMONGST US, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless indian savages, WHOSE KNOWN RULE OF WARFARE, IS AN UNDISTINGUISHED DESTRUCTION OF ALL AGES, SEXES, AND CONDITIONS.

      I have BOLD typed what you should be focused on. Though the charges are from 1776, I will point out that what I have BOLD typed is going on today. You cannot dispute these claims unless you acknowledge the crimes.
      Furthermore, I hereby charge Barrack Obama, Bill Clinton, Bush Sr., Bush Jr., Hillary Clinton, Boehner, Feinstein for crimes of treason against the People of the United States of America and the United States Constitution. I also hereby charge any who support these people with the same charge as accomplices. I also hereby charge The United States Government as a whole for violation of the United States Constitution
      Constitution:

      1) Article 1 Section 8 Clause 12 “To raise and support Armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than 2 years”
      2) Article 1 Section 9 Clause 3 “No bill of attainder or ex post facto laws shall be passed”
      3) Amendment 1 “Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances”
      4) Amendment 2 “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”
      5) Amendment 4 “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
      6) Amendment 6 “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.”

      I also hereby charge the United States FBI, DHS, CIA, ICE for their illegal drug laws. If they government had truly cared about drug abolishment you would have made it an amendment as with the 18th Amendment of the United States Constitution and the repeal of the 18th amendment by the 21st Amendment of the United States Constitution. So such laws against drugs are not valid.

      I also charge the United States Government with its increasing attempts to abolish firearms with their illegal gun control laws. Again you cannot regulate that which is our 2nd Amendment right.

      I also hereby charge the United States Government and others who allow illegals into our country and given a free pass to violate our laws.
      Again let this serve notice that the entire United States Government is formally charged with previously said charges. We the people of these United States will have you recalled from your positions for your violations of your oaths, and violation of our United States Constitution and for supporting the President of the United States as he blatantly defies our United States Constitution. Any attempt to silence those that expose you cronies for what you are will only raise more questions against you. Any attempt to snuff those who expose you for what you are will only increase the freedom movement against you. 2015 is the year we expose the tumor and cut it from our country and restore true rights and freedoms long overdue to us! Demonizing those who expose you for what you are only helps our cause.

      The NWO will not win. The Illuminati will not win. The top 1% wealthiest people will not win. The muslim radical terrorist will not win. The fake news reports will no longer be believed. The Elitist will not win. Socialism will not win. Communism will not win. The monarchy will not win. The militarizing of the police force will not work. Internet censorship will not work. We are onto you all and you will lose!

      Freedom will win and our US Constitution will remain in effect. We will not change to accommodate illegals or radicals such as those you allow into our country!

      Sincerely,
      1776

      Again feel free to copy my letter. People need to be angry with our government for allowing the bullshit that goes on in our country but also the bullshit we are committing in foreign countries. UNITED WE STAND or divided we will fall.
      Thanks Anon for the hard work you guys are doing. I dont hide my face cause I wont the enemy to know who is trying to call them out. However the need for Anon is also a great tool to help the fight for freedom as well. Freedom is an idea that will never die! Keep up the fight.

      CrashNJax

  9. As a British supporter of Anonymous I am truly gob smacked reading this. As far as I believe we have no such laws in the UK and am thankful.(going to check to make sure)
    Is America not supposed to be the land of the free?. Why is it the case that your countries people don’t have the right to express there views in a peaceful manner through wearing a mask?.

    • Pretty much because while we are supposed to be guaranteed rights by the Federal Government, the state government will sometimes make rules not allowing them, and unless the Federal Government takes that state to court over it, there is nothing to be done, except possibly be arrested and take it all the way up to the Supreme Court. Really, the best way to think about the United States is as if it is 50 small countries with a cooperation agreement that work together, and formed an oversight government to make sure everything is fair. While the one on top is supposed to have the final say, sometimes a state will ignore it because they don’t agree. It’s why some states have made marijuana legal despite it still being Federally illegal. But it’s also the reason that some states are able to restrict rights, so it’s a good and bad thing.

      The main problem is that America is set up so that it is only free if the people continue to desire it to be so and fight for it to be that way. So long as the general population continues to not care, they can take away more rights, and it will still be considered free simply because they took away rights no one seemed to care about. Honestly i don’t know how we can fix it at this point.

  10. It is important to understand the various laws with respect to wearing a mask in public. YOU CAN wear a mask so long as you are not doing so to commit, or aid in the commission of crime. If you are not engaged in criminal activity, you may be questioned as to your reason for wearing the mask, but if you are not engaging in criminal activity, you cannot be cited or asked to remove it. They have no probably cause once they have questioned you. Police generally also have no right to ask your name; where you live; or where you are going without probable cause.

    ALWAYS ask what their probable cause is, and ask them to cite the Penal Code section which allows them to do what they are doing.

  11. None of the above laws PREVENT the wearing of a mask in public UNLESS it is for nefarious purposes, as outlined in the law.

    Therefore, unless an officer has probable cause to believe you may be engaged, or about to be engaged in an unlawful act, which is the reason for the mask, it is not unlawful to wear it.

    Without probably cause, an officer has no right to ask your name, where you are going, or to remove your mask. If he insists, get his badge number and ask him the penal code section under which he is acting, or what his probable cause consists of. I’ve told police if they come back with a warrant, I’ll speak to them, if not, explain your probable cause and the penal code section I am violating.

    When they know that YOU know your rights, they tend to back off – especially if you are video-taping them.

  14. Just a thought….I have the right to become chief of a rather well known tribe of native Americans. if I were to adopt the mask as part of our religion would it supercede the state laws prohibiting the wearing of masks out in public? Just a thought

    • I believe so, seeing as most Native American tribes are supposed to be viewed as separate nations. That and seeing as how it is religious, i do believe it would be allowed.

  15. Why don’t we concern ourselves with some things that are more important. Like finding out why so many of our loved ones are dying from cancer when the cure exists through nutrition? And why our children are being dumbed down by our educational system? If we were all a bit more educated, then these laws would be inconsequential.

    • As this is a discussion about the legality of wearing a mask in public, and the basis of being anonymous is to be just that, the discussion seems particularly relevant. So, it’s important that those who choose to wear the mask may do so with the caveats I have previously provided: basically, know your rights. Have the code section with you with the pertinent areas highlighted. As I’ve said, it’s unbelievable how many law enforcement personnel either don’t know the law, or are willing to ignore it. Information is power, after all.

    • Anonymous is meant to be able to stand for anything that you feel important. It isn’t strictly privacy, or information, freedoms, hacking, activism, or whatever else we are known for. It is anything. I’m confident that there are or will be articles on this site concerning those things, and I agree that they are important. Being a High School student (at a fairly poor and low-expectation Idaho school), evidence of our education’s inadequacy is quite prevalent. We are concerned about the wearing of a mask, but we are also concerned about education, obesity, cancer, and such. Because after all, we are everyone. Every walk of life. Every nationality and heritage. However, this article is information on our rights to wear a mask, and has fueled a marvelous discussion. And I hope to see you again in a discussion about your concerns, as I share many of them.

  16. Thanks for the heads up, Zeus. Good information to have. Just want to address two minor flaws. First, laws are intended to deter crime rather than detour it.

    Also, there is no such word as “carblonched.” I think you meant to use the phrase “carte blanche”, French for “blank card.” Like giving someone a blank check.

  17. What i said about wearing mask is forbidden is because government cannot see your face so you identity literally cannot revealed

  18. Firstly, @sassy you need to reread those penal codes as it clearly states that masks are fobidden period, there are no loop holes there to wiggle through. That is the problem, there are no amendments to these laws stating that you can wear them during peaceful protest.

    Secondly, @Grammar Nazi it would be different if I was a professional journalist but Im not. Im a chef by profession and a veteran of two branches of service before that. To be honest, the only professional journalist that I know of who is an Anon is Barrett Brown (#Barrett Brown on Twitter)so yeah, you get the hint.

    • Sorry Zeus. Your reading is incorrect. They are prohibited if the individual is engaged in certain criminal activities.

      I used to right legislation in California; therefore, I know how to read and interpret it, and I’m an attorney with 20 years in the Attorney General’s office.

      As long as you are NOT engaging in ANY criminal activity, you should have no problem. Best to video the exchange and get the officers badge number. There ARE far too many law enforcement personnel who DO NOT know the law and they certainly count on the average citizen not knowing the law, when emboldens them to do as they wish.

  19. carte blanche
    kärt ˈblänSH/
    noun
    complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best.

    Always doing my best to educate my fellow rebels, so they might speak with intelligence and authority 🙂 Good work!

      • Surprisingly, same advice given by almost every religion. I wonder if sometime in the future, historians will teach upon the secret religious society of Anonymous, they who hold society accountable for their crimes. It would honestly be rather interesting.

  23. i have to agree with sassy brat. i read the articles and not all are a cross the board ban on masks (except as mentioned). if you reread california’s it says “it shall be unlawful…escaping or evading…committing a crime. the way it reads is that unless you are committing or going to commit a crime you can wear a mask. yes you may get stopped by police and thats where knowing your rights comes in handy.

  24. i am in Canada and you piqued my curiosity about canadian laws on masks. our federal laws only prohibit wearing a mask during the commission of a crime.

  25. California? Really? False whiskers? “Mr. Claus, you have the right to remain silent. Everything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law.”

  27. So, here in Michigan, as long as I don’t commit a crime I can wear a mask. That is kind of cool. I guess. It seems that I can get away with it as long as I am not doing anything else illegal. Very interesting.

  28. Well you can add Sweden to the list of countries that has laws against wearing a mask or similar things in public on top of that it is illegal to gather in public spaces with more than 4 participants even if that gathering has occurred spontaneous.

  29. Masks used as part for medical treatment such as facial surgery aren’t noted in those laws. That is something to be concerned for.

  30. I live in Louisiana and am currently awaiting prosecution for RS 14:313. I was actually held without bail on this charge for 6 months. I actually wore the mask into a place of business and yelled “People of the world, you are free!” I also spray painted my car in the middle of downtown. I was told I wasn’t welcome and that people were trying to bankrupt me. I was told veterans weren’t welcome in this town. I spent a total of 110 days in isolation when I had not committed any serious crime. I was “making a statement” as it says in the police report. I am also showing through my actions that the 99% conviction rating the parish receives means nothing. They denied bail stating I posed a danger to society, but later that same day offered me a plea deal of two felony convictions and I could get a suspended sentence. I finally got bail after 6 months. Now I am waiting for trial by jury. I contend the mask did not actually conceal my identity due to the fact that I have a very distinguishable tattoo on my neck, the PI symbol. I really want to challenge the statute because it limits freedom of speech. Armed robbers aren’t charged with it, only individuals that represent an idea. The KKK, unfortunately, is one of those groups.

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