Adobe StockJohn Swinney will work with Police Scotland to consider whether officers need additional powers to deal with masked youths riding e-bikes and electric scooters.
The First Minister made the commitment after SNP MSP David Linden raised concerns about the growing issue during a special Holyrood committee meeting.
Linden, convener of the Criminal Justice Committee, told Swinney that communities across Scotland were “crying out for action” over groups of youngsters riding e-bikes and e-scooters while dressed in black and covering their faces.
He said police officers had told him they did not believe they had sufficient legislative powers to deal with people wearing masks.
His comments come after the Scottish Police Federation called for greater powers for officers to deal with face coverings.
David Kennedy, the organisation’s general secretary, recently said more needed to be done to give police the ability to remove face coverings and establish a person’s identity.
He said: “The face coverings, we need a law change, we need to give police more powers.
“We need police officers on the street, when they come across somebody, that they have the power to tell them to remove their mask so they can see who they are.”
Responding to Linden, Swinney said he was “very willing to consider the necessity for other powers”.
The First Minister acknowledged that the issue involved “a minority of young people”, but said it was nevertheless “prevalent in a range of different communities around the country”.
He suggested existing breach of the peace legislation could be used in certain circumstances, but said the Scottish Government would discuss the issue with Police Scotland.
Swinney said: “We will engage with Police Scotland on the appropriate powers that are required to tackle this issue beyond the existing statute that is available.”
The commitment comes amid continued concerns from police and communities about the use of e-bikes and e-scooters by masked groups of young people.
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