Balaclavas to be banned from major UK city as wearers face instant £70 fine

Balaclavas to be banned from major UK city as wearers face instant £70 fine Evidence gathered by police identified more than 180 city centre incidents involving face coverings or balaclavas - Bookmark Fresh measures aimed at tackling young people using balaclavas to intimidate members of the public in Nottingham city centre will come into force next week. Starting on Tuesday, Nottinghamshire Police said the new restrictions will allow police and council officers to require individuals to remove a face covering where their identity is concealed to commit crime or engage in anti-social behaviour. Operating as part of a Public Spaces Protection Order, the powers include £70 on-the-spot fines, the confiscation of face coverings, and referrals to an Immediate Justice Programme requiring community work. Those who continue to defy the rules could face a Criminal Behaviour Order, which could see them banned from the city centre indefinitely. Officials have stressed that the enforcement is not a blanket ban on face coverings, with officers targeting "crime, anti-social behaviour or intimidating conduct". Clear exemptions will protect individuals who wear face coverings for legitimate reasons, including religious, health, medical or work needs. Nottingham’s city commander, 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. “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. Residents have had enough. Businesses have had enough. We’ve had enough.” Evidence gathered by Nottinghamshire Police identified more than 180 city centre incidents involving face coverings or balaclavas between June 2025 and June 2026. Nottingham City Council developed the restriction after listening to residents, businesses and visitors who raised concerns about people wearing balaclavas, skeleton masks and other face coverings without a legitimate reason. A consultation launched by the authority received responses from more than 2,200 people, with more than 90 per cent supporting action to tackle the issue. Nottinghamshire Police and 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”. He added: “I’m delighted that our immediate justice programme can be used by people who fall foul of this ban, as it will mean they will be made to swiftly and very visibly pay back the community they have harmed.”