We call on the UK Government to introduce legislation restricting the wearing of balaclavas and similar face coverings in public when they are being used to deliberately conceal a person's identity.

Balaclavas used to have legitimate purposes. They can be used for protection from extreme weather, certain occupations, sport and other genuine activities.

However, they can also be used to deliberately hide someone's identity while committing crime, intimidating members of the public or engaging in serious antisocial behaviour.

When an individual's face is deliberately concealed, CCTV footage can become far less useful in identifying them. It can also make members of the public feel intimidated, particularly when groups of people are concealing their faces in shops, town centres and other public places.

The most concerning issues is the use of balaclavas by offenders committing robberies, thefts and other crimes while travelling on e-bikes and similar vehicles. A balaclava can allow an offender to conceal much of their identity from victims, witnesses and CCTV, while an e-bike can provide a quick means of escape. This combination can make identification and investigation more difficult and can create an intimidating environment for the public. We believe the law should give police stronger powers to intervene when face coverings are deliberately being used to conceal identity in circumstances linked to criminal or serious antisocial behaviour.

We believe the law needs to catch up.
What we are asking for:

We call on the Government to consider legislation that would:

• Make it an offence to wear a balaclava or similar garment in a public place for the purpose of deliberately concealing your identity without reasonable excuse.

• Give police appropriate powers to require the removal of a balaclava or similar identity-concealing garment where there are reasonable grounds to do so.

• Introduce stronger penalties where a balaclava or other face covering is deliberately used to conceal someone's identity while committing or assisting a criminal offence.

• Consider appropriate restrictions around the marketing and sale of balaclavas specifically promoted for concealing identity during criminal or antisocial activity.

This petition is specifically concerned with balaclavas and the deliberate concealment of identity. It is not intended to target religious clothing, ordinary medical face coverings or people who have a genuine reason to protect their face.

Why this matters:

People should be able to walk through their communities, work in shops and businesses, and use public spaces without feeling intimidated by individuals deliberately concealing their identities.

This isn't about assuming that everyone wearing a balaclava is a criminal.
It is about recognising that deliberate anonymity can be exploited by people who commit theft, robbery, violence, intimidation and serious antisocial behaviour, and it has become endemic in our society.

If someone has a legitimate reason for wearing one, the law can provide an appropriate exemption, but deliberately hiding your identity in public without reasonable justification, particularly when doing so facilitates crime or intimidation,  is something we believe Parliament should address.

If you agree that it is time for the law to tackle the deliberate use of balaclavas to conceal identity, please sign this petition and share it.

The more signatures we receive, the stronger the message to the Government will be.

Thank you.