Police calls for officers to get new powers to require people to remove balaclavas and other face coverings have been backed by the convener of Holyrood’s Criminal Justice Committee.
SNP MSP David Linden said the issue of face coverings is a “pertinent one”, warning groups of young men dressed all in black and wearing balaclavas are “terrifying” communities.
Recent protests have seen groups of balaclava-wearing men take to the streets in parts of Scotland.
Mr Linden, the MSP for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, also highlighted the “epidemic” of e-bikes and e-scooters “being driven by young people, often completely wearing black and wearing face coverings”.
We cannot have a situation where people, whether they are adults who should know better, or young people, are roaming around with balaclavas
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme, he said: “I fear we are getting to a point where someone is going to get seriously injured, or worse still killed.
“That is how serious this situation has become, particularly in our city and urban communities.”
He spoke of “young men roaming around now, dressed in black, wearing face coverings, terrifying people”, insisting: “We need to get a grip of this.”
The city of Nottingham has recently granted police and council officers the power to order the removal of balaclavas and face coverings when used to conceal a person’s identity during anti-social behaviour, and Mr Linden said he would be “exploring” with the Scottish Government if similar action could be taken here.
“We have entered new territory with people wearing face coverings, often complemented with peopled dressed completely in black,” he said.
“That is unsettling for people in our communities, so I do want to work with the Cabinet Secretary (for Justice) to see, do we need to look at a situation where the police are given more powers, because we cannot have a situation where people, whether they are adults who should know better, or young people, are roaming around with balaclavas.
“We live in the 21st century and this is just not acceptable for people.”
The MSP said the problem is part of “cultural issues starting to arise with young men” who he said are “roaming around in packs and dressing the same”.
David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), also said there is a need to “do more on face coverings”, saying police should have “powers to remove them, to see who the individuals are”.
Also speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, he added: “The face coverings, we need a law change, we need to give police more powers.
“We are able to remove them on certain occasions, but it needs to be more matter of fact that they (police officers) can do it.”
While he accepted there would be cases where someone has a religious or medical reason for wearing a face covering, the SPF general secretary insisted: “We need police officers on the street, when they come across somebody, that they have the power to tell them to remove their mask so they can see who they are.”
He also raised concerns that individuals on e-bikes and e-scooters wearing balaclavas may not be wearing a helmet.
Mr Kennedy said: “If you are on an e-bike and you are wearing a face covering, the concern I have got is you are not wearing a helmet. I don’t see many people travelling about the city centre on e-bikes wearing helmets.”