Nassau County approves mask ban after fiery public hearing where activist was dragged out by cops

Nassau County Republicans approved a sweeping ban on wearing face masks in public Monday — after a fiery public debate where a masked activist was hauled away by police.

Legislators voted along party lines Monday to approve the “Mask Transparency Act,” which makes it a misdemeanor to wear a face covering in public to hide one’s identity, according to News 12 Long Island.

The bill allows exceptions for health and religious purposes.

Violators could get slapped with fines up to $1,000 or up to a year in jail.

All 12 Republicans voted in favor of the bill while the seven Democratic lawmakers abstained.

Nassau County eyes mask ban amid alarming rise in antisemitism, hate crimes: ‘Talk is cheap’

Video taken during the contentious public hearing shows a female protester wearing a mask being dragged away from the meeting. She was later arrested and charged with obstructing governmental administration for allegedly causing a disturbance, according to News 12.

Those in support of the bill, including Nassau legislator Mazi Pilip , say it will prevent offenders from hiding behind a mask to commit crimes — particularly hate crimes against Jewish people.

“Talk is cheap. What I’m asking for is action. We are going after the thugs who are terrorizing the Jewish community. I’m sick and tired of it,” Pilip, who is Jewish, said last month.

Opponents, including the New York Civil Liberties Union, have argued that the bill would risk Long Islanders’ health and safety.

Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner’s daughter urges LA County Board for mask mandate

The legislation bans anyone over 16 from wearing masks or other face coverings on public streets and property, except for health and safety reasons or religious customs.

Police will be the ones to decide if a mask is being worn for a legitimate purpose — something the bill’s adversaries warn may lead to discrimination against minorities.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, is soon expected to sign the legislation.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR METRO DAILY NEWSLETTER

New York state previously had a two-century-old ban on public mask-wearing, which was repealed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect public health.

Mayor Eric Adams said last month that reinstituting a mask ban under state law is the best way to address bigotry.

“As someone who has participated in numerous protests to defend my beliefs, I can confidently say that those fighting for a noble cause do not hide behind masks — cowards do,” the mayor said.

“New York City will always defend the right to free speech and will continue to protect public health, but we are increasingly seeing masked protestors using anonymity to intimidate, threaten, and break the law. This behavior is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate it,” Adams continued.

“Our team has been consulting with our state partners and we believe the best path forward is to reinstate the statewide mask ban that was in place for over 175 years, or to adopt a similar one to address the unacceptable behavior we are seeing.”

For the latest metro stories, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/metro/