Balaclavas to be banned from major UK city with wearers facing £70 fine

It comes as 180 towns recorded incidents with balaclava wearers

Officers will be allowed to require individuals to remove their face covering garments as balaclavas are often used to conceal identity when committing crime.

The ongoing intimidation of members of the public in Nottingham city centre has led to the fresh measures being implemented. 

Police will now be able to fine individuals wearing balaclavas on the spot, as well as confiscating face coverings, and referrals to Immediate Justice Programs such as community service.

If fines and confiscation won’t work on trouble makers, the balaclava wearers could face an indefinite ban from the city centre.

The ban on balaclavas are meant to prevent “crime, anti-social behaviour or intimidating conduct” from young people, giving Nottinghamshire Police more rights to prevent misbehaviour. 

Nottingham Superintendent Chris Pearson said: “Any person found to be wearing a balaclava or similar face covering in the city centre, and we suspect they are involved in crime or anti-social behaviour, will be stopped by our officers.

“We will then use all the powers at our disposal to ensure they cannot wear that item again,” added Pearson.

“This is all about disrupting criminality. 

“I can’t be clearer, we don’t want you in our city centre if you are going to cause these problems. 

Pearson, tired of the ongoing intimidation conduct toward individuals, stressed that “residents have had enough. Businesses have had enough. We’ve had enough.”

A council wide consultation launched by the authorities received responses from 2,200 citizens, with over 90% of them agreeing with the new implementations.

Crime Commissioner Gary Godden believes the new powers will make it easier for police to take away “the veil of anonymity that some people try to hide behind.”

“I’m delighted that our immediate justice programme can be used by people who fall foul of this ban,” he added.

“It will mean they will be made to swiftly and very visibly pay back the community they have harmed.”