Testimony before the Arizona House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Regarding HB 2862 and Unlawful Masking
Chair Nguyen and Members of the Arizona House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony in support of HB 2862.
Across the United States, and in Arizona, people are exploiting masks to conceal their identities while committing crimes and terrorizing citizens. This vital legislation would create a new criminal offense for wearing a mask with the intent to conceal one’s identity at certain gatherings.
Just as Ku Klux Klan members used white hoods to conceal their identities and terrorize their targets, modern activists are using keffiyehs, Guy Fawkes masks, balaclavas, and other inherently intimidating face coverings. Indeed, face-masking is pervasive among participants in demonstrations that have grown in frequency and disruptiveness.
Click here to read the full testimony.
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Ilya Shapiro is a senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal.
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