Sir, – I see that there will be “No outright ban on face coverings at protests under new legislation” (News, October 12th), which I cannot even begin to understand. Certainly, we all have a right to protest if we oppose something that has happened, is happening, or is likely to happen.
But surely the point of protesting is to register our opposition: disguising ourselves defeats that.
The most innocent reason I can imagine for disguising oneself at a protest is being embarrassed by one’s opposition to the object of the protest, and being reluctant to be identified with the protest itself. This should disqualify you from protesting, the very point of which was to make your position on the subject obvious to all.
I believe there should be an immediate outright ban on going about in public with one’s face covered, with the obvious exception of Halloween. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM HUNT,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
