Balaclavas banned; New law comes into effect in Ireland

Dublin: Balaclavas banned, New law comes into effect in Ireland. The government approved legislation banning the wearing of balaclavas during protests. It comes in the wake of violent protests and disturbances targeting buildings designated as accommodation centers for refugees in recent months following the Dublin riots last November. 

Balaclava (balaclavas) ?

A balaclava is a form of cloth headgear designed to expose part of the face, usually the eyes and mouth. Depending on the style and how it is worn, full-face versions with the eyes, mouth and nose or just the front of the face open can be folded into a cap to cover part of the head or folded around the neck like a collar. 

An amendment to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 gives gardaí the power to order people wearing such masks in public to remove them "in order to intimidate others or to conceal the identity of the person in order to evade justice".

The Department of Justice said the bill was a priority of Justice Minister Helen McEntrie and was a suite of measures introduced "to further empower gardaí in public law and order incidents", including the introduction of body-worn cameras. Speaking earlier this year, McEntee said that someone wearing a balaclava at a protest and attacking a member of the Gardai or any other person was not the type of person to engage in a meaningful conversation. "We need to stop this behavior before it escalates, which is why we need to ban it completely and ensure that these behaviors are not allowed in the first place," she said. 

The Cabinet believes that while the right of the people to protest should be respected, it is subject to the safety of others and their rights to go about their daily lives free from threats and intimidation or threats to public order. 

Ireland's cabinet heard that some protesters were covering their faces "in a clear attempt to intimidate and intimidate individuals who are targeting or participating in the protest". The presence of unknown persons who deliberately conceal their identities can create an extremely intimidating atmosphere, especially in protest situations, which can cause fear and distress to those present, 

"The amendment now gives the power to require a person to remove a face covering in the event of public drunkenness, disorderly conduct or public disorder such as threatening or abusive behaviour, or where a person is loitering.