The Scottish Conservatives have reignited the debate over face coverings after a senior Tory councillor proposed a new ban in Edinburgh city centre last week.
Councillor Jo Mowat proposed the city move to ban face coverings to stop increasing levels of antisocial behaviour.
Though a formal council by-law has yet to be introduced, councillor Mowat said a ban could be modelled on Nottingham’s new restrictions that allow officers to request the removal of a face covering if they suspect antisocial behaviour, with repeat offenders even barred from the city centre.
Frustration with a rise in antisocial behaviour has already led to an increase in the number of officers patrolling Princes Street, with a new city centre policing unit being set up earlier this year.
In the unit’s first month, officers had already carried out over 200 “youth interactions” and arrested 49 people, leading local shopkeepers to call for new police powers.
However, new restrictions in Scotland remain unlikely — Nottingham’s ban was approved under separate English and Welsh laws. A new by-law in Edinburgh would require the approval of the SNP.
The Scottish Government fell short of endorsing the proposal in a debate two weeks ago, with Communities and Victims minister Kirsten Oswald saying while the government could be open to new measures, police already have enough powers to tackle crime.
Concerns over civil liberties remain, with the SNP’s Oswald also arguing that legitimate reasons around religion and health mean the use of face coverings should be protected.
Photo by Thomas Marquize on Unsplash
