The East Midlands Mayor says she would be “very supportive” of a ban on balaclavas and face coverings in Nottingham, calling the headwear “intimidating”.
It was reported in June that Nottingham City Council was considering adding the ban to a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Nottingham city centre.
The PSPO originally proposed bans on activities such as distributing leaflets without permission and busking at unreasonable volumes, with the council asking the public for their opinions in May.
However, council leader Neghat Khan revealed that, during the consultation, the issue of balaclavas had been raised by multiple people, who asked whether a ban could be introduced on them too.
Asked for her thoughts on a proposed ban, Mayor Claire Ward said: “Good. Because where this came from is businesses and local residents saying that they don’t like it. It’s intimidating.
“For businesses, it puts off some of the footfall of people wanting to be in the city. And, quite frankly, we’re not talking about people putting on balaclavas because their faces are cold. They’re doing it for other reasons.
“And that’s just not helpful for creating the right environment where people feel safe and comfortable in the city. So if the council leader is in a position to discourage those face coverings, then I’d be very supportive.”
The consultation period for the PSPO ended on 23 June. However, if the council adds the balaclava ban, it will have to ask for the public’s opinion again before implementing the legislation.
Asked what she meant when she referred to people wearing balaclavas for “other reasons” than their faces being cold, the Mayor said: “Well, why would you put a balaclava on when it’s the middle of summer or put a scarf round your face?
“I suspect that, in the vast majority of cases – maybe not all of them, but in the vast majority – it’s for other motives, other reasons: to avoid being identified, to seek some form of anonymity. At the end of the day, that has an impact on how people feel when they walk around.
“I don’t like to see people speed past me on bikes with their faces covered because, if anything were to happen, how would I even seek to identify them? That’s not saying that all of these people are acting in bad faith. I just don’t think it’s a good environment for the city.”
Cllr Khan revealed the balaclava proposal during the launch of the 2050 Nottingham Vision in front of city stakeholders and investors, when she was asked how she would keep the city safe and whether safety contributed to improving Nottingham.
She said that she wanted to make Nottingham the safest city in the country.
The Mayor said: “I want people to come into the city and feel comfortable, as I’m sure the council leader wants. And therefore we should look at these things.”
By Joseph Connolly, Local Democracy Reporter
