Republicans and Democrats are joining forces to ban face masks. Once the ultimate outward sign of liberal solidarity, face masks are now comparable to KKK hoods, according to the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP.

It’s official: Mask ban in Nassau County, New York passes along party lines, 12-0 (7 abstentions). It makes wearing a mask a misdemeanor (with unclear health and religious exceptions) and gives police the power to fine people wearing a mask $1,000 and sentence them to jail time. pic.twitter.com/wgcXQhCC1u

— Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) August 5, 2024

Anti-Israel protesters’ use of masks to shield their identities has driven the latest round of anti-mask sentiment, angering both sides of the aisle. Long Island Republicans just passed a measure banning face masks except for religious and health reasons, though it’s entirely unclear how police will determine which masks are being worn for legitimate purposes. Los Angeles is considering a mask ban as well. Not long ago, LA was floating penalties for not wearing a mask…

As an inescapable wave of accusations of “two-tier policing” crashes over social media, it’s been a day full of own goals for British police forces.

First, there was a video from West Midlands Police Superintendent Emlyn Richards. When asked by Sky News why there wasn’t a larger police presence when “crew covering the unrest in Birmingham were followed by a man holding a knife and wearing a balaclava after broadcasting live,” Richards said police had been liaising with “business and community leaders” and the response was “commensurate” with the “intelligence” given to the police.

Then a video from Craig Guildford, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, opened with the phrase “Salam Alaikum”, an Islamic religious salutation, and he signed off with “Shukran”, Arabic for “thank you”.