The municipal authorities of Tijuana, Baja California, have decided to prohibit the use of masks and costumes during the Halloween and Day of the Dead festivities due to the violence and insecurity situation the city is experiencing. This measure, which is unusual for the population, will apply exclusively to adults in order to ensure the safety of families in the city.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Juan Manuel Sánchez Rosales, mentioned to the media that in previous occasions, people with malicious intentions had taken advantage of costumes to commit robberies or other crimes, thereby hiding their identity under a mask. Therefore, significant economic penalties will be imposed, and in case of non-compliance, temporary arrests will be carried out.
It is expected that this measure will be strictly enforced during the Halloween and Day of the Dead festivities to ensure the safety of all citizens. Authorities will carry out a special operation with the participation of 450 police officers in the city of two million inhabitants, bordering California (United States), during the afternoon of Thursday and the early morning of Friday.
The government secretary of the Tijuana City Council, Arnulfo Guerrero, stated that the Municipal Police will be responsible for determining whom to arrest in order to avoid conflicts among the population. Only moderate use of masks will be allowed on Avenida Revolución, where up to 15,000 people are expected to gather to celebrate during the Halloween festivities. It was also reported that there will be no tolerance in places where minors are found consuming alcoholic beverages.
