Ban 'menacing' balaclavas used to 'bully and intimidate', says Farage following anti-migrant protests
The Reform leader said that banning face coverings was necessary because they undermined trust and respect in society
Nigel Farage has said he wants a ban on all full-face coverings in public spaces, describing them as a “menace” designed to bully and intimidate.
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His call comes in the wake of two anti-migrant protests by balaclava-clad activists at the weekend.
One on Saturday involved more than 200 activists who brought the port of Dover to a standstill.
On Sunday, 200 demonstrators clashed with police in Portsmouth after a dinghy carrying 120 migrants reached Britain from Normandy.
The Reform leader said that banning face coverings – whether a gang member’s balaclava or an Antifa mask - was necessary because they undermined trust and respect in society.
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“A modern nation cannot function when groups of people actively opt out of basic civic interaction.
"Whether motivated by radical political ideologies or fundamentalist religious practices, hiding one’s face isolates individuals from the wider community,” Mr Farage said in response to the protests.
“Now, I’m all for the protest. Plenty to protest about. But seriously, this is not the way to go about it," he continued, writing in The Telegraph.
“Because let’s be clear. Face coverings are a menace. Whether it is a heavy-duty balaclava worn by a gang member or the dark mask of ‘Antifa’ extremists, their purpose is to bully and intimidate.”
The Reform leader also cited the wider problem of balaclava-clad people on e-bikes. He said: “We’ve somehow accepted that seeing masked people in streets is just part of modern Britain. It shouldn’t be.
“Which is why Reform UK is calling for a ban on all full-face coverings in public spaces. No ifs, no buts. And yes, that includes religious ones too.
“Because a free and open society depends fundamentally on trust. That trust is built on a simple, ancient social contract: I show you my face, you show me yours. When you strip that away, the entire fabric of public safety and mutual trust begins to fray.”
“Doubtless the establishment will throw up its hands in horror. The usual suspects in Westminster will inevitably bleat about civil liberties and personal freedom,” he said.
“But what about the liberty of the elderly woman afraid to step outside her front door after dark? What about the freedom of small shopkeepers trying to defend their livelihoods against masked looters?”
Mr Farage added that: "This is not a matter of targeting one group. It’s about saying that in a civilised society, people should be identifiable in public. If you want to walk on British streets, participate in British public life, and enjoy the protections of British law, you must be prepared to show your face.
"Facial coverings, quite frankly, are not the British way. Let’s ban them in public once and for all.