As protests continue against the genocide in Gaza, lawmakers across the country are scrambling for ways to make it harder for protestors to exercise their First Amendment rights. Now, they’re trying to quash protest by going after an important safety tool and growing symbol of solidarity against surveillance, ableism, and genocide: masks.

With mask bans recently passed in North Carolina and Nassau County, New York, elected officials in New York State, Los Angeles, Chicago, and more are following suit, arguing that police (and their invasive surveillance tools) need to see our faces in order to “keep us safe.” But surveillance isn't safe, and mask bans only put us more at risk.

With facial recognition technology on the rise and COVID and Long COVID still rampant in our communities, banning masks would put all of us in danger, especially the Disabled, BIPOC, and low-income communities already experiencing disproportionate harm.

Mask bans grant police and vigilante citizens sweeping powers to force people to unmask and be identified, denying disabled people and political protestors equal access to public safety and privacy by design. Weak and ineffectual health and religious exemptions are guaranteed to be arbitrarily enforced by police and lead to more violence and harassment. We can’t let that happen.

Sign the petition to tell key local and national lawmakers to reject mask bans.