"It's intimidating," she said. "People don't want to go to parks with their kids and it's not right."
"Not only does wearing them give them anonymity, they also give them bravado. "You see young men invariably zigzagging in and out of the traffic with these electric bikes."
"What happens every Friday and Saturday night is they are all outside," she said. "Six or seven of them behaving in a really bad manner. "They get on the rooftops, going up and down. "They throw food and use bad and racist language but nothing gets done. By the time the police get here, they've gone."
Dozens of incidents of anti-social behaviour involving balaclavas have been logged by police in the town over the last year. Residents report intimidation that deters people from using parks and harms local businesses. A proposal seeks a public space protection order covering the whole town to allow £100 fines for anyone judged to be wearing face coverings to intimidate or harass, with faith-based face coverings exempt. Councillors and police are working together to address concerns. Similar measures exist in parts of Surrey, Essex and the West Midlands. Reports describe youths wearing balaclavas while riding electric or off-road bikes and engaging in threatening behaviour.
Read at www.bbc.com
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