Alert: Have You Seen These Possible Criminals?

In an effort to make people feel safer, the largest shopping center in England, Bluewater in Kent, has begun banning customers who wear 'hoodies' — hooded sweatshirts and parkas. [hat tip: Reason.] Wearers of baseball caps will also be escorted from the premises.

The measure seems to be aimed at reducing the number of young British mallrats. Most cap- and hoodie-wearers are adolescents, whose presence is often experienced as menacing or unpleasant by doddering fogies other shoppers. Britain's Children's Aid Society has condemned what it sees as "blatant discrimination based on stereotypes and prejudices." But — wouldn't you know it — the ban is just peachy with Tony Blair, Britain's liberty-destroying ueber-Dummkopf.

The shopping center's spokeswoman, Rachael Nolan, denies that her employer is targeting young people. "What we're saying is we don't want people in Bluewater deliberately obscuring their faces," Nolan chirped to the BBC.

Really? What do you want to bet that Bluewater knows better than to interfere with any hijab- or burqa-wearing patrons? And if this is honestly an effort to prevent anyone from (cue creepy music) going incognito, will customers with upturned collars or oversized sunglasses be kicked out, too? What about those with bushy hair or headscarves — will they be sent raus along with the hoodie-sporting youths? Seems only fair, no?

To aid Bluewater's security guards in apprehending all manner of miscreants, I've compiled a little photo gallery of face-obscuring criminals they should look out for.

Comments

[dave]

Well thank you for the row of terror....Alice...Bridal Tresses...and Chunky Batman with the evil red eyes! Crap, its not just us (the US) who are a nation of wussies....now its the formerly stiff upper lip Brits! Shit!