'Thuggish' behaviour could see balaclava ban in more cities

Balaclavas could be banned in more city centres over concerns about "thuggish" behaviour, including robberies, burglaries and drug dealing.

The social media hashtag "no face no case" has been gaining traction glorifying balaclavas as a way to avoid prosecution.

Police across the UK have said face coverings are hampering their efforts to identify potential offenders.

Officials in Newport, as well as, Coventry, Stafford and Wolverhampton, are exploring ways to strengthen existing powers to challenge those wearing balaclavas, while Nottingham has already introduced a ban.

Newport college students Luie and Nath, both 16, are supportive of a ban.

"It just looks dodgy", said Luie, "I think they should ban it. I think if you wear one you're up to no good.

"If you stop these face coverings, you'll stop crime, people can recognise you, there's CCTV everywhere, if you remove face coverings - it's a simple fix really."

"There's a lot of crime going on and they're common around the city centre," Nath added.

"I just don't think they need to wear them - bad things come with them."

"I think it's a good idea - they go around on their motorbikes intimidating people with their balaclavas on - and probably involved in crime and never get caught," said Gabrielle.

"It's quite intimidating when you're walking and they just zoom past you.

"I don't very often go into town - you feel intimidated wherever you go because there's a lot of antisocial behaviour going on.

"I tend to stay out of their way."

Photographer Attela Kis, 32, is concerned about the effect it may have on people choosing to cover their faces for religious reasons.

"It depends on what type of face covering you're talking about - like a Burka for example, this is part of their religion," he said.

"When people are riding their electric bikes and committing actual crimes, it's really dangerous.

"They shouldn't cover their faces, if anyone gets hit - or anything gets stolen people need to be found and prosecuted."

Matthew Evans, one of two Newport councillors who proposed the ban, said people were wearing "intimidating" face coverings to "rob, burgle and deal drugs in our city centre" and "avoid detection".

He proposed "exemptions for religious reasons" and said this was not an "attack on the human rights of young people".

This follows a recent joint police and council crackdown, Operation Krypton, which led to hundreds of arrests.

Supt Esyr Jones from Gwent Police said 321 arrests had been made since July to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour across Newport.

Newport council said the current PSPO is due for review, "and any potential amendments can be considered as part of that process".

It said the current PSPO could potentially include face coverings, "and this too is being explored in relation to its practical implication and legalities".

But said there would be "exemptions for legitimate reasons, including religious, cultural, medical, occupational, weather or personal safety reasons".

In Nottingham, a senior police officer said offenders who wore them to hide their identity caused "substantial" problems.

Now, police there are allowed to ask people to remove their face covering if they "reasonably believe" they are being used to conceal their identity to commit crime or anti-social behaviour.

Anyone who refuses could face a £70 fixed penalty notice or face a maximum fine of £1,000.

Social media videos with the hashtag "no face no case" are used on social media, glorifying the use of balaclavas to avoid prosecution.

Last month, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said anti-migrant protesters covering their faces with masks and balaclavas was "not the British way."

It followed protests in Dover where demonstrators were wearing face coverings.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has called for full face coverings, including those worn for religious reasons, to be banned in public.