We have a right to safety, privacy, and protest. Say no to mask bans.
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, New Jersey, Louisville, and more are following, claiming 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.
Mask bans hurt everyone.
With facial recognition technology on the rise and COVID and Long COVID still running rampant in our communities, banning masks would put us all 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, leading to more police violence and harassment. We can’t let that happen.
Sign the petition and tell lawmakers:
no mask bans, no exceptions.
If a mask ban is currently proposed in your area, your comments may be sent to key local officials in addition to your federal representatives.
National
Call your lawmakers Calling you now...
Introduce yourself, be polite, and say:
“I am a constituent calling to express my concern about the alarming trend of legislation across the country that criminalizes wearing a mask in public. These bans threaten our basic rights to health, bodily autonomy, and privacy. Mask bans do not keep us safe. They infringe on our rights to protect ourselves and our disabled and immunocompromised community members from illness, encourage more arbitrary and racist police surveillance, and unfairly stifle our civil liberties to gather and protest. Everyone should have the right to wear a mask in public. I strongly oppose all mask bans, regardless of exemptions, and encourage you to oppose them too. Thank you.”
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For more ways to fight back, check out the Resist Mask Bans resource list.
Louisville
Call your lawmakers Calling you now...
Introduce yourself, be polite, and say:
“I am a resident of Louisville calling to express my concern about the anti-mask ordinance that is being enforced and possibly amended and re-enacted. I was appalled to hear that Mayor Greenberg and LMPD had begun to enforce this defunct law and that it has already been used to target and profile marginalized people. Criminalizing masking forces unwanted exposure to surveillance and police harassment, as well as unfairly infringes on our rights to gather safely. It would make public space unsafe for everyone, especially disabled and immunocompromised people, during an ongoing pandemic. Forced unmasking at the discretion of the police won’t keep us safe--it violates our fundamental rights. Everyone should have the right to wear a mask without fear of bodily harm, privacy violations, and harassment. I strongly oppose mask bans in any form and I urge you to oppose any amendments or re-enactments and repeal the ordinance in its entirety.”
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For more ways to fight back in Louisville, go to tinyurl.com/fightloumaskban.
Los Angeles
Call your lawmakers Calling you now...
Introduce yourself, be polite, and say:
“I am a resident of LA calling to express my concern about a potential mask ban. I was appalled to hear Mayor Bass's comments recommending a mask ban for protestors. A mask ban would force unwanted exposure to surveillance and police harassment, as well as unfairly infringe on our rights to gather and protest safely. It would make public space unsafe for everyone, especially disabled and immunocompromised people, during an ongoing pandemic. Forced unmasking at the discretion of the police won’t keep us safe--it violates our fundamental rights. Every Angeleno should have the right to wear a mask in public. I strongly oppose any mask ban, regardless of exemptions, and I encourage you to oppose it too. Thank you.”
If lines are busy, we may call you in a few minutes.
Done calling? Do this next:
Thanks for signing up! We'll be in touch.
For more ways to fight back in LA, check out this local toolkit.
New York
Call your lawmakers Calling you now...
Introduce yourself, be polite, and say:
“I am a resident of New York calling to express my concern about a potential mask ban. I strongly oppose the proposed bills in the New York State legislature that would prohibit mask-wearing in an 'assembly.' This legislation forces unwanted exposure to surveillance and police harassment, as well as unfairly infringing on our rights to gather and protest safely. It also makes public space unsafe for everyone, especially disabled and immunocompromised people, during an ongoing pandemic. Forced unmasking at the discretion of the police doesn't keep us safe--it violates our fundamental rights. Every New Yorker should have the right to wear a mask in public. I strongly oppose any mask ban, regardless of exemptions, and I encourage you to oppose it too. Thank you.”
If lines are busy, we may call you in a few minutes.
Done calling? Do this next:
Thanks for signing up! We'll be in touch.
For more ways to fight back in New York, check out this local toolkit.
Join the fight, wherever you are.
Disability justice and (Long) COVID justice advocates have been leading the charge against mask bans all over the country. Join local and national efforts to push back on these dangerous policies before they become a reality.
Find your local mask bloc and join efforts near you with the Resist Mask Bans resource list from Long COVID Justice. More resources include:
National:
Mask bans and proposed bans by state from the Sick Times.
Stop Mask Bans toolkit from Mask Together America.
Weekly phone banking against mask bans with the World Health Network (Fridays at 3 PM ET).
Local:
The Fight Louisville Mask Ban Toolkit
No to NJ Mask Bans! Petition and Calls to Action
The Stop NY Mask Ban Action Toolkit from COVID Advocacy NY.
The Stop Mask Bans in LA Toolkit.
The Chicago Action Toolkit from Care Not COVID Chicagoland.
The Oppose STL Mask Ban Resource Hub