MJP –
The first arrest under the contentious mask ban law occurred this week in New York City, following the implementation of the law by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul in response to masked pro-Palestine protesters who harassed people in public spaces around the Big Apple earlier this summer. Other cities and counties followed suit.
The New York Times reports that on August 25, 2018, an 18-year-old man named Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo was taken into custody in Hicksville, Long Island, after being seen strolling alone while wearing a mask on Spindle Road.
Nassau County passed the Mask Transparency Act earlier this month to fight antisemitic occurrences, which have increased in recent months due to rallies over the Palestine conflict. Despite not being involved in any protest or troubling anyone nearby, he was nevertheless in violation of the law.
A check of Castillo’s person revealed a more serious issue for the 18-year-old, even though it is a misdemeanor to wear a mask.
As stated in the New York Times:
According to a statement released by the department on Tuesday, during the investigation, officers found a fourteen-inch knife in Mr. Castillo’s pants after frisking him. On Monday, he faced multiple charges, including a breach of the mask legislation and criminal possession of a weapon.
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In a statement, Mr. Blakeman explained that the arrest of a wanted robbery suspect was made possible by a combination of events, including the mask ban legislation. The suspect was detained and questioned by the police. “The passage of this law provided law enforcement with an additional means to apprehend this risky offender.”
Mr. Castillo was represented by Legal Aid, according to Scott Banks, chief counsel of the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County. Mr. Banks chose not to address the matter.
Castillo pretended to be himself in August, donning a ski mask and brandishing a lethal weapon. The assumption that someone wearing a mask (particularly during the heat) would be hiding something else makes it obvious that you’re either carrying one or the other while you’re out and about. They were correct in this instance. Oh my God.
However, why do random stops and searches fail to yield any results?
Anyone found to violate the law could face a $1,000 fine, one year in jail, or both; however, there are several exceptions to this rule, such as those on religion or health.
This story originally appeared on Hip-Hop Wired and tagged an 18-year-old as the first man charged under the New Mask Ban Law in NYC.
