Anti-Mask Law Waived By Gov. Kemp: GA Coronavirus

ATLANTA, GA — Gov. Brian Kemp signed an order executive order earlier this week that allows Georgia residents to legally wear masks in public. He said he’s working in accordance with the CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

"I signed an order to allow Georgians to wear masks in public to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 – in accordance with CDC guidance – without fear of prosecution," he tweeted.

In a now removed tweet by WGXA, Kemp reacted to the post, showing his dislike.

"This post is a classless, disgusting ploy for social media engagement. @WGXAnews refused to delete this post. #gapol" he wrote.

The original tweet read: "SOUND OFF: Gov. Kemp signed an Executive Order waiving a 1951 law that banned wearing KKK hoods amid the spread of COVID-19. Is it okay for klan members to wear hoods to prevent spreading the virus?"

The order was signed Monday declaring that masks worn as a safety precaution against the spread of the coronavirus would be allowed. The masks would be exempt from the 1951 law that makes it a misdemeanor in Georgia for people to conceal their identities while on public property, reports the AP.

The law was passed decades ago to prevent Klan members from wearing hoods at public rallies. It became a misdemeanor to wear "a mask, hood, or device by which any portion of the face is so hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer and is upon any public way or public property or upon the private property of another without the written permission of the owner or occupier of the property to do so."

Kemp's executive order specifies that "wearing 'a mask, hood, or device by which any portion of the face is so hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer' if that person is wearing such device for the purpose of complying with the guidance of any healthcare agency or to prevent the spread of COVID-19."

Several media outlets have reported black people being targeted by police and security in stores for wearing homemade masks while shopping.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms raised concerns about the old law and ordered police to suspend enforcement of it, reports US News.

Kemp thanked Bottoms at a news conference.

State Sen. Nikema Williams of Atlanta, who heads the Georgia Democratic Party, had also expressed concerns over the law and urged the governor to take action.

In a letter Friday, Williams told Kemp she feared racial profiling by police “will only get worse for people of color who wear homemade cloth coverings.”