Should police have the power to unmask?

Leaving aside the debate on the police using facial recognition technology for one moment, it does raise a very particular problem.

As David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, says today there is “little point investing millions of pounds in sophisticated technology” if people could evade it simply by pulling on a mask or covering their face.

So should police have the right to demand you remove a face covering? In certain situations, we would say yes. But there are important caveats, and that power must be strictly restricted.

Should, for instance, it only apply to those on bail for serious offences? And if so, which offences? Should it go further?

We have all seen images from countless protests recently where those involved have turned up masked. While the right to peaceful protest is one which we would fiercely defend, you could surely question the motivation of anyone who is hiding their identity in such a scenario.

But does that mean that officers should have the automatic right to unmask?

Says Mr Kennedy: “There are currently limited circumstances in which officers can require the removal of an item being worn to conceal identity. We believe there is a legitimate discussion to be had about whether those powers are now sufficient.

“This is not about interfering with legitimate religious, cultural, medical or occupational reasons for covering the face. Appropriate exemptions and safeguards would clearly be required.

“It is about people who deliberately conceal their identities in order to commit offences, intimidate others or frustrate the ability of the police to identify them."

He is right, there is a discussion to be had, but it is also one which cannot be rushed. Facial recognition may be a vital new tool in the police armoury but that does not mean very real concerns do still exist.

To unmask or not to unmask is the question. And it is one which authorities will have to get to grips with soon.