Civil Rights groups aren’t happy about Philadelphia banning the use of ski masks

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The Philadelphia City Council passed a bill Thursday that bans the use of ski masks in parks, schools, public transit or other city-owned buildings, a move they say will help law enforcement solve crimes but that civil rights advocates believe will criminalize people of color.

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But council members who voted against the bill criticized it because it “criminalizes and marginalizes young Black men,” said council member Jamie Gauthier on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“I cannot in good conscience vote to further criminalize Black and brown young people in our city,” council member Kendra Brooks, who also voted against the bill, said on X.

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American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, says banning ski masks will not decrease crime in the city. Instead, he says, the measure will endanger innocent people of color who sometimes wear face coverings like ski masks.

“All this ordinance does is criminalize poverty and disproportionately target young men of color,” Worlds told CNN. “If the city council was serious about curbing crime they would spend time and money on mental health crises in the city, housing in the city, child care in the city so single parents could work more, after school programs, education, things like that. These are things that could actually deter criminal activity.”

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