In such a fragile we live in, it's important that everyone is treated equally. Why should some head coverings be banned while others are allowed?
In 2005, hoodies were banned in The Coastlands Mall in Paraparaumu, New Zealand because they were considered intimidating and because they prevented individuals from being identified on CCTV. The code of conduct for Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent, UK, bans “Intimidating behaviour by groups or individuals, anti-social behaviour including swearing, and wearing clothing which deliberately obscures the face / head (e.g. hooded tops or baseball caps)” , with the exception of face and head coverings for religious beliefs. Hoodies have been banned in Boston schools in the US because they hide students’ identities, with schools in Massachusetts, California and New York imposing similar clothing bans. Meanwhile, a man in Newport, south Wales, risked going to prison because he broke an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) which prevented him from wearing a hoodie.
All face/head coverings and all masks to identity, but which ones should be banned? The religious ones, the non-religious ones or all of them?
Religion is a symbol, affecting peoples’ lives and the way they worship and portray themselves, but then hoodies, baseball caps and other forms of clothes mark the identity of teenagers. How many teenagers will gladly throw out their hooded tops and replace them with Grandma’s knitted jumper? And why should we expect them to do this? It would be just as unreasonable to ask all non-swimmers to get rid of their armbands so as to make more space in the pool for others swimmers.
But there is a deeper argument than this. Some of these items of clothing not only obscure the face of the person wearing it but can also obscure weapons and other evidence which can be used in criminal cases. In the case of security, hooded tops particularly are guilty of this. We’re not talking about the leukemia sufferer who was banned from entering a town bar because she was wearing a baseball cap, but the full face and head coverings of other clothing.
This is not to single out religious followers and point the finger, but to treat them as equals with other people. For the sake of national and international security, isn’t it about time, as Holland has taken the lead, that all obscuring clothing and coverings are banned in public places?
