Modesto ground zero for national mask debate. City faces possible civil rights challenges to protest arrests

Modesto, a city with a less-than-stellar track record of defending against civil rights lawsuits, could become a test case for its controversial ban on masks during protests.

Heated debates over face coverings and the right to wear them have flared up on the national to local levels. Should Palestine-Israel demonstrators be allowed to conceal their identity? What about masked ICE agents apprehending suspected immigrants on California streets? Or regular people protesting right here in Modesto?

After five people with face coverings were taken away in handcuffs at one of two June 14 rallies in Modesto, City Hall received official demands to reverse the mask ban from three civil rights organizations. The American Civil Liberties Union outright threatened to sue if leaders ignore demands; the First Amendment Coalition and the NAACP hinted at potential legal action.

Mask ordinance discriminates against brown and Black people, critics say

Modesto’s mask ban “suppresses civic engagement and disproportionately impacts marginalized groups — particularly youth and communities of color,” wrote Wendy Byrd, the local NAACP group president…

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