It is unlawful to congregate in public while wearing masks.

The Law Explained

Enacted in the 1840s during the Anti-Rent War, this law was designed to stop tenant farmers from dressing in disguise and attacking their wealthy landlords. For nearly two centuries, it meant a group could not legally wander the streets in full facial coverings. It was finally repealed during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow for public health masking without fear of arrest.