New York City Mayor Eric Adams told a local radio station it might be time to remove the face masks, suggesting it would prevent robberies and other crimes.
"We are putting out a clear call to all of our shops, do not allow people to enter the store without taking off their face mask," Adams said in an interview with 1010 WINS, according to the Washington Examiner. "Once they're inside, they can continue to wear it if they so desire to do so, but we need to use the technology we have available to identity those shoplifters and those who are committing serious crimes."
He has taken a more active role in addressing crime than activists and progressive liberal policymakers had hoped, spending his initial nine months focused on the city's crime problem.
Within the first two months of the year, New York has experienced less crime in most categories, according to the NYPD. Violent crime had decreased in 2020, but carjackings, robberies, and property crimes still climbed past pre-pandemic levels.
Adams told the outlet that people can no longer hide behind masks in fear of the pandemic.
"Let's be clear: Some of these characters going into stores that are wearing their masks — they're not doing it because they're afraid of the pandemic," he said. "They're doing it because they're afraid of the police. We need to stop allowing them to exploit the safety of the pandemic by wearing masks, committing crimes."
Adams said lowering the masks would allow security cameras to see their faces, and if they refused, employees would be able to identify shady characters.
"If someone is violating the basic rules, they must there to violate a substantial rule as to commit a crime," he added.
The New York Daily News reported Adams spokesman Fabien Levy doubled down, saying, "This is the very approach TSA uses when anyone travels on a plane. Additionally, CDC guidance talks about the risks of COVID infection only when exposed to a COVID-positive individual for 15 minutes in a 24-hour period, not possibly a few seconds."
NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey agreed with the mayor's suggestion Monday, calling it "a commonsense approach."
"As a sign of a peace offering, a sign of safety to those store workers, when we walk in, we should take down our mask," he said during a news conference.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.