Why the need to cover up ?

[NecessaryNC24]

Genuine question: why do pro -Hamas protesters feel the need to cover their faces during protests.

Are you ultimately ashamed ?

If that was the reason I would understand, to be affiliated with terrorists, where actual infants are still held as hostages if not actually dead yet, yeah I'd be truly ashamed.

But clearly there is if people are being doxxed and labelled terrorist supporters and having their name, face, address published online for even signing open letters? Perhaps the emphasis should be on the people carrying out things like doxxing rather than the potential victims of their vile behaviour.

I agree with you that publishing people’s names and addresses online is outrageous and should be made illegal with serious consequences for people who do this. It’s online bullying and intimidation.

My point about face coverings still stands . The example you’ve given just shows how when offensive behaviour is overlooked it escalates as the victim has to take their own measures. The answer isn’t face covering but making it illegal to harass, punish names and addresses online etc

I’m aware that all of these behaviours don’t compare with the horror of what is going on in Gaza (and for the hostages. )
However these things all change the trust and tolerance in our society and should be challenged so that tensions don’t escalate further.

@Limesodaagain those women have made the brave decision to show their face despite the consequences, that is not necessarily the correct or safe decision for everybody. It would be nice if we lived in a society where people weren’t targeted for their beliefs.

Perhaps the risks pro Palestinian protesters are taking need to be more widely publicised then so that people understand the reason why they are covering their faces? Right now there is a narrative that they are doing it because they are Hamas supporting yobs rather than showing the fact that they are being targeted and demonised. There are quite a few people on this thread who seem to have had no idea. Maybe people would see it as less threatening if they understood the reason they are doing it because they are being threatened and are actually afraid.

@quantumbutterfly I think it can be scary in certain situations to see somebody who has covered their face, for example when you wouldn’t expect it.

However I think given the back lash that certain people have faced for their political views and lack of trust in our government it is understandable that some people would want to cover their faces while protesting. I wouldn’t take this on its own as definitely meaning somebody plans to commit an offence or has something to hide.

I don’t think people should be covering their faces on public transport or in shops etc as it causes too much concern to the people immediately surrounding them, and there is not a police presence like at the marches.

Yes - I agree that wearing the mask outside of the March context is even more threatening.

I do think the organisers of the protest should also consider the fact that sometimes the face coverings used can be alarmingly reminiscent of the face covering used by Hamas militants and I hope this would concern them
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/protests-face-mask-coverings-flares-law-b2492373.html

People marching on pro Palestinian marches seem to not understand that Hamas will consider these images on news sites as being pro Hamas and not just pro Palestinian. The calls for Intifada now is not pro Palestinian but pro terrorism.

I agree with this.

And if anyone is covering their face for nefarious purposes, they might as well take a leaf out of this wanker's book and not bother. Because apparently anything goes now anyway, so why not proudly wear it on your sleeve for a stroll down Oxford St!

And the fact is, there are very few arrests from the pro-Palestine marches despite the many examples of support for antisemitic terrorist groups, such as the Houthi chanters. So I don't buy the argument that people are covering up because they fear reprisal.

The more you cover up, the less support you'll attract to the protest, because it IS alarming to a lot of people who perceive it as intimidating, regardless of the reasons individuals are covering up.

The online harassment of named folk works both ways. There's been numerous lists circulating online targeting and naming individual Jews or "Zionists" - Jewish authors for instance - for the express purpose of intimidation or to threaten their livelihood. And some people make it onto those lists because they went to a Jewish youth club as a kid or some other Jewish institution, or one time they bought an orange from Jaffa, or something.

It's wrong on all counts, whether you're signing an open letter in support of Palestine or just being Jewish.

Agree.

Doxxing is a concern that needs to be addressed but if we allow some protesters to hide their faces then we allow all and ime the risks outweigh the gains.

Doxxing is more than a "concern" though. My picture was posted on a far-right website a few years ago where people were encouraged to find, rape and assault me and other women pictured who were attending an abortion rights protest (abortion was illegal at the time). It was genuinely terrifying to see my photograph there. And the comments underneath were sickening. I don't cover my face when I attend protests but I absolutely understand why others might, especially those who are in a more vulnerable position than me.

As I said, if you allow some then you allow all and ime that's not safe. Doxxing needs to be addressed.

Bravo @ConnieCounter for standing up for your beliefs, would you prefer that those who victimised you weren't given the shield of anonymity?

If you're talking about online I'm not sure how you could possibly manage that. Anyone can set up a website and post anonymously.

But I think those who attend protests should be allowed shield their identity if they feel like they may be targeted as a result of attending.

Including far right activists?

If they're peacefully protesting then sure. If they're threatening to rape and assault me then they should be arrested.

I think we both know that's unworkable but fairy nuff.

We'll agree to disagree on that then.

Funny that you seem to assume I'd expect different rules for people with political views I disagree with though.

If people are protesting peacefully they should be make their own decisions on whether they want to be identifiable.

Not assuming. Just expanding the brief. My family have been on the wrong side of masked protesters.

I prefer to see the face of the person that hates me, but we all bring different experiences. Marvellous Mumsnet.

By that logic, those against the marches are considered pro-Israel, pro Netanyahu and pro what is happening in Gaza.

That does seem to be the assumption for some people.

@10UsernamesNotAvailableTryAnotherOne - similar. It's only been the last few weeks that I have seen police with facial recognition cameras.

There were quite a few of the pro-Israel supporters covering their faces at the most recent protest where I am, but I guess it it's OK when they do. No? Only a problem when it's pro-Palestine?

We have a large contingent of Jewish people at our marches. They aren't frightened to be there. Many are active in the local Palestine action groups and have been for many years.

I haven't seen the facial recognition cameras until recently. I wonder if it's a new thing.

It's only a problem when pro-Palestine protestors wear masks, it's so hypocritical.

Yes. Lot's of Jewish people have been attending the marches other events supporting Palestine for ages. Yet people still call these protests as anti-semitic and say it frightens Jewish people.