10 Years In Prison For Masking Your Face In A Protest

[Nehkara]

Mask ban bill penalty doubled to 10 years

MPs studying a bill that would make it illegal for rioters to cover their faces have doubled the proposed penalty to 10 years.

Conservative MPs on the House justice committee changed the proposed law Thursday, sending the legislation back to the House of Commons with a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail rather than five.

Discuss.

[Daradon]

While we can argue the morality of this, I want to ask one thing...

Like the war on drugs, like the war on terror, like so many cultural establishments that aim to protect...

Do you think this helps? Or do you think this encourages?

Capt. C. Hit me

[VO #23]

I smell a Charter challenge, and you could legitimately base it on the violation of about a half-dozen constitutional rights.

[3 Justin 3]

Rather than discussing bullsh** like this, how about we increase the penalties for child molesters, rapists, pedophiles, and other such crimes.

I blame Vancouver Canuck fans for this.

[metallicat]

Well, if people don't get to cover their faces like the cowards they are, there may be fewer problems. They seem to think putting a black bandana on your face gives your free reign to run amok.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Misleading headline.

5 Years for covering your face during an unlawful assembly. 10 Years for Rioting.

I actually like this decision. I have 'assembled' with others on a couple of occasions and felt no need to cover my face. The skinheads on the other side of the street however sure seem to like bandanas.....cowards.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

Well, if people don't get to cover their faces like the cowards they are, there may be fewer problems. They seem to think putting a black bandana on your face gives your free reign to run amok.

The police often cover their faces. Are they cowards too?

[trublmaker]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

The police often cover their faces. Are they cowards too?

don't be ridiculous now

[burn_this_city]

Seems a tad stupid that you can murder someone with a truck after running them off the road and get 5.5 years. Yet covering your face and rioting garners 10..

[GP_Matt]

Isn't it illegal already to wear a mask while committing a crime?

[YYC in LAX]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

Isn't it illegal already to wear a mask while committing a crime?

First sentence in the article: MPs studying a bill that would make it illegal for rioters to cover their faces have doubled the proposed penalty to 10 years.

Rioters suck, but I would imagine it's not that hard to fight this charge. One could argue that freedom of expression, religion, association, etc could come into play with the masks.

Unless I'm ignorant, Canada doesn't really have big riot issues. As someone commented above, I'd like to see more focus on punishment of heinous crimes like murder and rape. Harsher sentencing on DUIs resulting in injury/death as well.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by YYC in LAX

First sentence in the article: MPs studying a bill that would make it illegal for rioters to cover their faces have doubled the proposed penalty to 10 years.

Rioters suck, but I would imagine it's not that hard to fight this charge. One could argue that freedom of expression, religion, association, etc could come into play with the masks.

Unless I'm ignorant, Canada doesn't really have big riot issues. As someone commented above, I'd like to see more focus on punishment of heinous crimes like murder and rape. Harsher sentencing on DUIs resulting in injury/death as well.

Freedom of expression maybe, but outside of that I don't see where the argument lies. You can't just fabricate a religion to claim you covered your face for religious purposes. Your right to gather and protest has not been infringed. Even freedom of expression is shaky, you'd have to establish that the wearing of a mask is a form of expression in and of itself, not just something done to conceal your identity, or that not allowing people to disguise their faces would have a chilling effect upon their ability to express their viewpoint.

And for those comparing this to sentences for other crimes you're missing that those other crimes have maximum sentences that far exceed this one. The fact that people aren't always sentenced to the maximum term doesn't decrease the sentencing guidelines. This extension would simply allow for a longer sentence, it wouldn't mandate it.

[YYC in LAX]

Originally Posted by valo403

Freedom of expression maybe, but outside of that I don't see where the argument lies. You can't just fabricate a religion to claim you covered your face for religious purposes. Your right to gather and protest has not been infringed. Even freedom of expression is shaky, you'd have to establish that the wearing of a mask is a form of expression in and of itself, not just something done to conceal your identity, or that not allowing people to disguise their faces would have a chilling effect upon their ability to express their viewpoint.

And for those comparing this to sentences for other crimes you're missing that those other crimes have maximum sentences that far exceed this one. The fact that people aren't always sentenced to the maximum term doesn't decrease the sentencing guidelines. This extension would simply allow for a longer sentence, it wouldn't mandate it.

Quick examples: A woman wearing a burqa protesting woman's rights. (Religion)
A group of people wearing Guy Fawkes masks - I'm sure somewhere out there, there's a Guy Fawkes club with devoted members (Association/expression)

I never said every case. Just saying, any decent lawyer should be able to find a hole in this proposed new policy.

[GP_Matt]

I wonder what would happen if a group protesting for the right to wear burkas turned into a riot?

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

The police often cover their faces. Are they cowards too?

When they're wearing riot helmets you mean? Is that result your counter argument?

[GP_Matt]

As I read the law, you are still allowed to wear a mask at a protest, you are just in trouble if the protest turns into a riot and you don't immediately remove your mask.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Daradon

While we can argue the morality of this, I want to ask one thing...

Like the war on drugs, like the war on terror, like so many cultural establishments that aim to protect...

Do you think this helps? Or do you think this encourages?

Capt. C. Hit me

I have no problem with someone that's in a riot masked and performing violent acts having the book thrown at him. We've seen a uptick in terms of violence during riots perpetrated by the Black Bloc or
pretenders to the black bloc.

I think that being masked and smashing windows or beating down cops cancels out any consititutional challenge ie freedom of expression, as freedom of expression cannot include violent acts or acts that put the public in jeopardy. If you could then you'd see serial killers fighting their convictions based on the line, I am the first fully functional homicidal artist.

IS 10 years a little severe? Maybe, but its a sentencing guidline and not a mandatory sentence.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

Rather than discussing bullsh** like this, how about we increase the penalties for child molesters, rapists, pedophiles, and other such crimes.

I blame Vancouver Canuck fans for this.

No kidding. So the drunk driver who killed 5 people with his cement mixer in 2007 then lied about it and tried to hide it gets a little over 5 years while people who mask their faces receive a similar penalty? Canadian justice at it's finest.

[Resolute 14]

Regardless of the actual question, deliberately misrepresenting "rioting" as "protesting" is mighty weak, Nehkara.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by trublmaker

don't be ridiculous now

I'm not being ridiculous at all. Cops definitely do have legitimate reasons to hide their identity. And some of them abuse the anonymity, but we shouldn't stop allowing police to cover their faces because of them.

And it's the same for protesters. They have every right to gather and express their grievances. Peaceful protest has been a powerful force for change in our society, and there are powerful people whose interests might be affected by these protests. So some feel the need to protect themselves against negative repurcussions these people might bring on to them. That doesn't make them a coward.