2019 District of Columbia Code
Title 22 - Criminal Offenses and Penalties.
Chapter 33 - Trespass; Injuries to Property.
§ 22–3312.03. Wearing hoods or masks.

Universal Citation:

DC Code § 22–3312.03 (2019)

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(a) No person or persons over 16 years of age, while wearing any mask, hood, or device whereby any portion of the face is hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer, shall:

(1) Enter upon, be, or appear upon any lane, walk, alley, street, road highway, or other public way in the District of Columbia;

(2) Enter upon, be, or appear upon or within the public property of the District of Columbia; or

(3) Hold any manner of meeting or demonstration.

(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section apply only if the person was wearing the hood, mask, or other device:

(1) With the intent to deprive any person or class of persons of equal protection of the law or of equal privileges and immunities under the law, or for the purpose of preventing or hindering the constituted authorities of the United States or the District of Columbia from giving or securing for all persons within the District of Columbia equal protection of the law;

(2) With the intent, by force or threat of force, to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person because of his or her exercise of any right secured by federal or District of Columbia laws, or to intimidate any person or any class of persons from exercising any right secured by federal or District of Columbia laws;

(3) With the intent to intimidate, threaten, abuse, or harass any other person;

(4) With the intent to cause another person to fear for his or her personal safety, or, where it is probable that reasonable persons will be put in fear for their personal safety by the defendant’s actions, with reckless disregard for that probability; or

(5) While engaged in conduct prohibited by civil or criminal law, with the intent of avoiding identification.

(Mar. 10, 1983, D.C. Law 4-203, § 4, 30 DCR 180.)

DC Code § 22–3312.03 (2019) - Wearing hoods or masks. :: 2019 District of Columbia Code :: U.S. Codes and Statutes :: U.S. Law :: Justia

Unless this 2019 law was repealed, it's crystal clear that walking around D.C. with a mask on threatening or intimidating people is ILLEGAL.

So my question is, why wasn't this law used by Black Law Enforcement officials in D.C. to prevent those masked White racists from marching around the city trying to intimidate people?

The provisions of section (a) only applies if any conditions of section (b) are met.

People wear hoods &/or face masks all the time especially when it's cold in DC. They walk around freely going in & out of local establishments too.

That law is enforced about as often as jaywalking or loitering.😁

Police aren't going to arrest people for wearing a face mask unless a crime is being committed.

Someone would have had to call the police claiming they felt intimidated &/or threatened by the white nationalists walking around wearing face masks.

Again, the police could not have arrested those goofy dudes for merely wearing a face mask.😎

10 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Police aren't going to arrest people for wearing a face mask unless a crime is being committed.

That's like ICE saying they aren't going to arrest illegal immigrants unless they commit crimes and break U.S. laws.
Otherwise, if they mind their own business they'll be left alone.
They ARE breaking the law by being here illegally....lol.

Those White Nationalists ARE committing a crime simply by wearing those masks and walking around in groups to intimidate people.

But just going by what you said, that would atleast give D.C. police PROBABLY CAUSE to detain them, interrogate the shit out of them, and let them know that their presence isn't welcomed and their behavior won't be tolerated in D.C.

That's.....ofcourse....if the D.C. police were SERIOUS about protecting Black people from racist mobs.
Perhaps they see the Black citizens of D.C. as more of a threat to public safety than those White nationalists.

2 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

That's like ICE saying they aren't going to arrest illegal immigrants unless they commit crimes and break U.S. laws.
Otherwise, if they mind their own business they'll be left alone.
They ARE breaking the law by being here illegally....lol.

Being in the country illegally is the crime.

2 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

Those White Nationalists ARE committing a crime simply by wearing those masks and walking around in groups to intimidate people.

Wearing a mask is not a crime. It has to be proven that they are walking around to intimidate people.

2 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

But just going by what you said, that would atleast give D.C. police PROBABLY CAUSE to detain them, interrogate the shit out of them, and let them know that their presence isn't welcomed and their behavior won't be tolerated in D.C.

Right. The police could have harassed the white nationalists & provoked them into committing a real crime.

2 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

That's.....ofcourse....if the D.C. police were SERIOUS about protecting Black people from racist mobs.

Perhaps they see the Black citizens of D.C. as more of a threat to public safety than those White nationalists.

The white nationalists didn't attack anybody during the 4th of July weekend. They just showed up for the Great American State Fair. Probably invited by the POTUS.😎

ProfD

Wearing a mask is not a crime. It has to be proven that they are walking around to intimidate people.

Wearing a mask is PROBABLE CAUSE....like being in an area KNOWN for gang activity or prostitution.

You don't have to actually commit the crime to raise suspicion enough for an investigation.

Right. The police could have harassed the white nationalists & provoked them into committing a real crime.

They were a bunch of White dudes walking around unarmed in khaki pants!

Provoke them into doing WHAT????

....pulling down their pants and committing "indecent exposure"???

They weren't capable of any sort of retaliation.

The white nationalists didn't attack anybody during the 4th of July weekend.

We know that AFTER the fact.
What if they had?

I used to work 3rd shift at a gas station and one night some fool came in drunk and high acting crazy and smashing bottles threatening to do XY&Z to "muthafuckaz" before running out the door.

I told my manager the ONLY way I'd work that shift again is if I could keep the door locked after certain hours and keep a fire arm in the back with me.

His argument was no because the man didn't harm me.

In other words, in his mind the "logical" thing to do is wait UNTIL you get harmed before thinking about protecting yourself.

Apply that reasoning to these White Nationalists.

Are you suggesting that we should wait UNTIL they actually harm somebody BEFORE the police step in and get involved?

14 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

Wearing a mask is PROBABLE CAUSE....

They were a bunch of White dudes walking around unarmed in khaki pants!

Walking around wearing a mask & khaki oants is not probable cause or a crime.

14 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

The white nationalists didn't attack anybody during the 4th of July weekend.

We know that AFTER the fact.
What if they had?

Law enforcement would have dealt with the aftermath. They cannot go around arresting suspicious people.

14 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

In other words, in his mind the "logical" thing to do is wait UNTIL you get harmed before thinking about protecting yourself.

In that type of situation, a person has to protect themselves. Carry a firearm or some other type of weapon for protection & self-defense.

14 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

Apply that reasoning to these White Nationalists.

Are you suggesting that we should wait UNTIL they actually harm somebody BEFORE the police step in and get involved?

I'm not suggesting. I know law enforcement cannot run around arresting white nationalists or gang-bangers or anyone else before they commit crime(s).😎