Should balaclavas be banned in the UK? Take our poll and have your say

Should balaclavas be banned in the UK? Take our poll and have your sayAmy Hodson-Ridgway, a mum from Manchester, has launched a petition to ban balaclavas after a masked gang ploughed into her eight-year-old son, leaving him with several injuriesCommentsNewsElizabeta Ranxburgaj18:01, 13 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesEthan Hodson-Ridgway after he was knocked over by a masked gang on E-bikes(Image: Amy Ridgway / SWNS)The growing calls to ban balaclavas have been joined by a mother whose son, 8, was left "traumatised" when a gang on E-bikes ran him over.‌Ethan Hodson-Ridgway flew 10ft into the air after two masked thugs hit into the little boy outside his home, in Manchester, in December. The eight-year-old was left with shocking injuries, including a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg, a collapsed lung and sustained a gash to his head.‌Ethan's mum Amy Hodson-Ridgway, 34, has joined calls for the government to implement a balaclava ban. Amy, in her campaigns, has claimed these sorts of masks "provide anonymity to countless individuals committing crimes".‌The mum created a Change.org petition called "ban balaclavas to make our streets safer" and has amassed more than 50,000 signatures so far. Have your say with our poll below and post a comment in the section below.READ MORE: E-bike and e-scooter fires reach record high amid online marketplace warningsREAD MORE: Department for Transport update on 'e-bike and e-scooter' number plate laws after questionAmy said despite handing over footage of the horror incident to the police, the cops were unable to identify the suspects because their identities were hidden. The case was then closed just three weeks later.‌There are currently no laws outlawing the wearing of balaclavas, though local councils can use Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to allow police to issue fines to those who refuse to remove face coverings.3View 3 ImagesThe eight-year-old in hospital(Image: Amy Ridgway / SWN...