Don’t wait until next year: Restore New York’s mask ban NOW!

Political and community leaders speak at a press conference outside of Columbia University on Thursday morning in support of reinstating a mask ban in New York State as incidents of antisemitism rise. LP Media

A coalition of civil rights groups, religious leaders and lawmakers rallied Thursday to demand the state’s mask ban be restored as antisemites terrorize Jews, vandalize property and wreak havoc — often getting away with it by masking their faces.

Alas, Gov. Hochul and lawmakers are clearly in no hurry to act.

The gov has said she’d look into the issue but offers no timeline for legislation.

That’s got to change.

Now.

Hochul and legislative leaders need to call a special session and demand lawmakers return to Albany pronto to restore the ban.

“We will not tolerate individuals using masks to be responsible for criminal or threatening behavior,” Hochul huffed this month.

“This will be dealt with.”

Great.

But when?

Is Hochul really OK with letting goons keep up their mischief and violence until at least next year, when lawmakers return to Albany — if even then?

Manhattan’s pro-criminal District Attorney Alvin Bragg cited masks obscuring the identities of Columbia protesters as part of why he opted not to prosecute most of them.

It’s an invitation for more antisemitic thuggery.

How many more Jew-hating bullies will get away with their crimes by masking up?

New York’s mask ban stood for 175 years, protecting people from masked terrorizers, like the KKK.

Then, in 2020, it was gone in a flash, as the government began requiring their use, claiming they help fight COVID.

Of course, today, even Anthony “I Am Science” Fauci admits masks do little, if anything, to stop the germ’s spread.

Yet Jew-hating anti-Israel protesters have used masks, and keffiyehs, as a convenient excuse to hide their identities — to make it harder to be prosecuted for crimes they commit.

Masks not only make them look more threatening, they make it easier to go over the edge.

Delaying action on restoring the ban also plays into the hands of pro-criminal progressives, like deputy state Senate Democratic leader Mike Gianaris.

“I think the governor has gotten ahead of herself,” fluffles Sen. Gianaris (D-Queens).

“I think it’s a very serious proposal with all sorts of ramifications.”

Please.

A sensible mask ban can make exemptions for, say, legitimate medical or religious reasons.

And it caused no problems in New York over nearly two centuries.

Jews are being targeted, harassed and even subjected to violence — often by masked perps — today.

It wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) be tolerated if any other group were the victims.

Lawmakers need to act now, before any more damage is done.