Page 16 | AIBU to think face coverings in public should be banned?

OpheliaWasntMad · 2026-04-06T13:53:36+00:00

Should all types of face covering in public be banned? I think they should. Mainly I’m concerned that people in balaclavas and face coverings are shoplifting and stealing phones etc with impunity. People with balaclavas on marches look threatening and sinister. Women with niqabs create a barrier between themselves and others as it’s hard to form connections if you can’t see someone’s facial expressions. I think all face covering should be banned. It contributes to a society that feels more unsafe and divided.

Piggywaspushed · 06/04/2026 16:04

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:49

Face covering has nothing to do with “dress codes” . It a way of making yourself anonymous in a public place- often with criminal intention.

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But more often, not....

wordler · 06/04/2026 16:04

endofthelinefinally · 06/04/2026 15:57

The aggressive, violent men who are out demonstrating and intimidating women are always wearing huge masks, balaclavas or scarves wrapped around their faces. Ditto shoplifters. That is how they get away with criminal behaviour. Like motor cycle helmets in banks, it needs to be expressly forbidden. If someone goes into a shop in a balaclava it is obvious they are up to no good.

Shops can enforce a no mask policy - for medical masks you can manage this by a camera at the door - you remove mask for ten seconds to have your face recorded and then proceed.

You are then face recognizable on camera if that information is needed later by the police.

catipuss · 06/04/2026 16:04

zantez · 06/04/2026 15:45

What would prevent a man or a woman pretending to be Muslim and hiding their identity for nefarious reasons?

As I said, France introduced a ban and I don't see any problems emerging there as a result. The ban has been in force for 15 years now too.

Helmets and balaclavas and the like should be banned in public also.

I don't care how they do it, and what ridiculously circumspect arguments are put forward against a ban, it can be done. Unless you all think France is racist and anti Muslim.

Probably no worse than here, but racism certainly exists. And France is a secular country so obvious religious symbols are banned in schools and neutral appearance is expected in public, hence fairly easy to ban Muslim garb for women.

oviraptor21 · 06/04/2026 16:02

thepariscrimefiles · 06/04/2026 16:00

Are you trying and failing to communicate with women in niqabs or do you just object to seeing women with face coverings when you are out and about?

I live in a very large multi-ethnic city with a large Muslim population and there are many women wearing the hijab but very few wearing the niqab. What they are wearing doesn't affect me in any way. Banning the niqab would be very illiberal and authoritarian.

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I am trying and failing to communicate with people in medical face coverings.

SynthEsjs · 06/04/2026 16:01

It’s not enforceable. Scarves and cold weather gear make it something you can’t insist on.

However if there was some way that on a summer’s day people attending marches could be removed from them if they have a balaclava or other face covering then I think this could be a good idea.

The problem is I can understand why you might want to just to protect yourself even if you have no intention of causing any trouble.

ShanghaiDiva · 06/04/2026 16:01

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:11

Yes - I acknowledge that there will be difficulties pinning down the details. There will always be exceptions. I think anyone who is immune compromised should have an exemption to wear a mask in public .Anyone wrapped up in a scarf on a bitterly cold day should uncover their face in shops and cafes .
Essentially, I think anyone covering their face in a public place should be challenged by police . It’s routine where I live for some young people to zoom around on stolen lime bikes with balaclavas on . The shoplifters where I live all wear face covering and charge in and out of shops grabbing whatever they like.

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Anyone covering their face in public should be challenged by the police…
I volunteer in a charity shop and we have virtually zero police presence in the town where I work. Where are we going to find all these police who are going to challenge scarf wearing shoppers?

Anyahyacinth · 06/04/2026 16:01

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:21

I think face covering should be banned -it never used to be an issue but is now being routinely used by criminals to hide their identity.

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Where are your stats on this big change?

Vaguelyclassical · 06/04/2026 16:01

I look forward to your wonderful world, OP, where women going through breast cancer treatments and wearing masks because their immune system is shot to hell have to flash their lumpectomy/mastectomy scars or bald heads to prove they're not evil thugs.

thepariscrimefiles · 06/04/2026 16:00

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:14

I’m afraid I cannot agree that it is easy to pick up on non verbal cues if you can’t see only see the eyes.
A great deal of information is conveyed through the mouth and forehead.

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Are you trying and failing to communicate with women in niqabs or do you just object to seeing women with face coverings when you are out and about?

I live in a very large multi-ethnic city with a large Muslim population and there are many women wearing the hijab but very few wearing the niqab. What they are wearing doesn't affect me in any way. Banning the niqab would be very illiberal and authoritarian.

oviraptor21 · 06/04/2026 15:59

WalkDontWalk · 06/04/2026 15:52

.....er...how do you get to that from what I said?

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Because that's exactly what you said - Let's not bother to engage with the people who can't communicate with you because you have a face covering on.

KimberleyClark · 06/04/2026 15:58

Baseball caps and hoodies can just as easily be be used to cover faces. Should they be banned too?

Original poster

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:58

PandoraSocks · 06/04/2026 15:53

Ever been to that remote and very cold place (it was snowing for a bit yesterday) in Scotland called Glasgow?

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Do they have a problem in Glasgow with balaclava wearing hooligans and shoplifters? The pp seemed to think there was no problem with face covering where she lived - people only covered faces against the bitter weather.

OP posts:

Justcallmedaffodil · 06/04/2026 15:57

zantez · 06/04/2026 15:55

You can see the face, lips, cheeks, chin, ears and eyes with those.

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That very much depends on how they’re grown.

endofthelinefinally · 06/04/2026 15:57

The aggressive, violent men who are out demonstrating and intimidating women are always wearing huge masks, balaclavas or scarves wrapped around their faces. Ditto shoplifters. That is how they get away with criminal behaviour. Like motor cycle helmets in banks, it needs to be expressly forbidden. If someone goes into a shop in a balaclava it is obvious they are up to no good.

Original poster

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:56

InterestedDad37 · 06/04/2026 15:39

OP probably just means thugs and Muslims. All other instances will be tacitly understood and allowed 😉

Don’t be so silly. The vast majority of Muslims do not cover their faces . Why imply that they do ?

OP posts:

BoredZelda · 06/04/2026 15:56

AgnesMcDoo · 06/04/2026 15:55

I’m guessing snoods are banned too 🥲

You can rip my snood from my ice cold hands….

EvelynBeatrice · 06/04/2026 15:56

Definitely agree they should be banned but for protests/ demonstrations only.

CornishDaughteroftheDawn · 06/04/2026 15:56

Sosaidkaye · 06/04/2026 15:49

How would it be enforced?

Like any other law. 🤷‍♀️

We manage with the law on driving licences or traffic lights etc.

zantez · 06/04/2026 15:55

Justcallmedaffodil · 06/04/2026 15:54

On that basis would you also ban beards and fringes?

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You can see the face, lips, cheeks, chin, ears and eyes with those.

BoredZelda · 06/04/2026 15:55

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:43

Hmmm…. It’s a mumsnet post for discussion- I am suggesting that public face covering is not a good thing and should be banned. I’ve given my reasons. I’ve never said my view of the world is the only correct one .

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Your reasons are ultimately flawed though. There is no widespread “barrier” as you suggest. There is no issue with “safety and security” where women wear the niqab. So why would a ban be necessary?

AgnesMcDoo · 06/04/2026 15:55

I’m guessing snoods are banned too 🥲

Justcallmedaffodil · 06/04/2026 15:54

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:14

I’m afraid I cannot agree that it is easy to pick up on non verbal cues if you can’t see only see the eyes.
A great deal of information is conveyed through the mouth and forehead.

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On that basis would you also ban beards and fringes?

PandoraSocks · 06/04/2026 15:53

OpheliaWasntMad · 06/04/2026 15:34

I think it’s perfectly appropriate for people to be told they should not cover their face unless they have a medical reason.
You have an aggressive tone - “your brave New World …” Perhaps - if you live in a remote area of Scotland you are unaware of the challenges faced in densely populated urban areas filled with balaclava wearing louts

Edited

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Ever been to that remote and very cold place (it was snowing for a bit yesterday) in Scotland called Glasgow?

MrTiddlesTheCat · 06/04/2026 15:53

I cover my face now due to having had cancer and radiotherapy. You want to criminslise me?

tryandbepositive · 06/04/2026 15:52

What sort of police state would this be, where we’re being told not to wear what we want? Slippery slope. Long fringes out, beards?