Masked Criminals or Lawful Protesters

Mask bans force lawmakers to balance rights against the need to protect the public

Masked demonstrators take part in an anti-capitalist protest on May Day in Montreal on May 1, 2016. Partially seen on the right of the red banner is the communist hammer and sickle symbol. The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes

News Analysis

The city of Montreal recently decided to scrap a bylaw that banned wearing masks at protests. Known as P-6, the bylaw was put in place about 50 years ago in an effort to better contain growing public disorder.