The ACE Coalition condemns Los Angeles Mayor's recent comments considering a mask ban for protests. A mask ban would be a violation of our right to protect our health, a right to protect our privacy, and an infringement of our right to protest.

There is a rising pattern across the country to target people protesting the genocide in Gaza of the Palestinian people, a genocide that the United States has supported, provided the weapons for, and funded Israel to enact in violation of international law. The people against the genocide are on the right side of history and our public officials are exercising fascism in the form of using state violence against peaceful protestors, suspending students, banning TikTok, and attempting to enact mask bans, amongst other actions.

Our government has also implemented a "mission accomplished" type of campaign to lie about the pandemic being over and with another surge happening currently it is clear that they have abandoned us to a deadly and disabling virus. A mask ban has the potential to hurt everyone including those who are already disabled and immunocompromised as they risk increasing disability or even death.

Bottomline is that a mask ban is a violation of our rights as human beings, residents, and citizens.

We must organize to make sure these public officials stop these fascists policies that put us all at risk for our health and our lives.