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Kendra Brooks shredded after opposing Philadelphia's ski-mask ban as it is racist

Philadelphia City Council member Kendra Brooks voted against banning ski masks in public spaces citing racism concerns

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia City Council member Kendra Brooks voted against a bill to ban ski masks in public spaces, including parks, schools, public transit, or other city-owned buildings, citing the move as 'racist'.

The Working Families Party member took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her concern over the ban.

She wrote, "Today I voted against this bill to ban ski masks in public spaces. I cannot in good conscience vote to further criminalize Black and brown young people in our city."

Democrat Jamie Gauthier joined Brooks to vote against the bill, reported The Philadelphia Inquirer.

However, a 13-2 vote passed the bill on November 30, and anyone wearing it in any of Philadelphia's public spaces could be charged a massive $250 fine. According to council member Anthony Phillips, Mayor Jim Kenney will sign the bill into law early next week.

What is a ski mask?

A ski mask, also known as a balaclava, is a one-piece pullover that covers the head and face. It is typically made of knitted material and includes openings for the eyes, mouth, and sometimes the nose.

The skiers usually wear it to shield their faces from cold and wind.

Why have Philadephia lawmakers banned ski masks in public spaces?

Violent crimes in Philadelphia skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic, which included mass looting where masked thieves broke into stores. Using ski masks makes it difficult for the police to identify the criminals.

"The City of Philadelphia has been under siege with individuals who use ski masks to commit crimes. It's caught onto not just young people, but young adults who have made this a particular thing to do," council member Phillips told CNN.

Phillips continued, "The Philadelphia Police Department can't tell who's a criminal and not a criminal, which makes it difficult for crimes to be solved in Philadelphia."

Amid Brooks criticizing the move as discrimination that criminalizes Black and Brown people, Phillips, who is also Black and the youngest member of Council, said it is not aimed at forwarding "negative narratives,"; instead, it is a choice between "cosign[ing] lawlessness or demand[ing] decency and a high quality of life."

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Phillips believes he was elected to the Council to restore "public trust by having safer communities."

Netizens slam Kendra Brooks for voting against the bill

The internet has not accepted Brooks's reasoning for voting against the ski mask ban.

Many pointed out that she does not care about her community's safety, forgetting the fact that the clothing is worn by everyone irrespective of their race or color.

One user opined, "We all knew you would. It's not about "criminalizing" any specific group of people except those who unnecessarily wear ski masks in public places."

Another user said, "Criminalizing black and brown people by fining them for wearing ski masks or identifying them in surveillance footage? BTW there's white criminals as well who commit armed robbery wearing ski masks. It's not only POC who commit crimes, that's very racist of you."

"Ski masks aren't black and brown clothes, they're just clothes. Why is every single thing race with you?" asked a user.

One more user questioned, "Excuse me. How is this racist?"

"Jesus. You can't genuinely care about your community at this point. Just resign," one user added.

Another user stated, "So only black and brown folks wear ski masks? God, you make it easy."