(The Center Square) – New York City Mayor Eric Adams is calling for a statewide ban on wearing masks during protests, saying the current rules don’t do enough to deter demonstrators who shield their identities to commit acts of vandalism and violence.

In an interview Sunday, Adams called on state lawmakers to restore prepandemic restrictions on masks that allowed police to charge someone with a crime for congregating in public while wearing a mask or disguising their identity. He said the state’s rules, including changes approved by lawmakers earlier this year, are inadequate to protect public safety and prevent antisemitism.