Good day, Today a news has come stating that Kendra Brooks faced criticism for her stance against Philadelphia’s ski-mask ban, with opponents arguing that her position was misguided and labeled the ban as racist. Stay with this article to find out more about this news. Philadelphia City Council member Kendra Brooks opposed a proposal to prohibit ski masks in public areas such as parks, schools, public transit, and city-owned buildings.
She labeled the measure as ‘racist’ and expressed her reservations on X (formerly Twitter) as a member of the Working Families Party. In her statement, she expressed, “I voted against the proposal to prohibit ski masks in public areas today. I cannot, in good conscience, support a measure that would contribute to the further criminalization of Black and brown youth in our city.” The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Democrat Jamie Gauthier joined Brooks in opposing the bill. Despite their votes, the bill passed with a 13-2 majority on November 30.
Who Is Kendra Brooks?
This means that individuals wearing ski masks in any of Philadelphia’s public spaces could face a substantial $250 fine. Council member Anthony Phillips stated that Mayor Jim Kenney is expected to sign the bill into law early next week. A ski mask, or balaclava, is a single-piece pullover that envelops the head and face. Usually crafted from knitted material, it features apertures for the eyes, mouth, and occasionally the nose. Philadelphia has witnessed a surge in violent crimes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including instances of mass looting where individuals, concealed by ski masks, burglarized stores.
Council member Phillips, speaking to CNN, emphasized the challenge faced by the Philadelphia Police Department in identifying criminals due to the widespread use of ski masks. This, in turn, hampers the resolution of crimes in the city. A different user pointed out, “Imposing fines on black and brown individuals for wearing ski masks or pinpointing them in surveillance footage seems like unjustly criminalizing a specific group. It’s important to note that there are white criminals engaged in armed robbery while wearing ski masks as well. Crime is not exclusive to people of color, and framing it that way is considered discriminatory.”
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