Why do they hide?

Here is something that I dont understand. If the cheif concern for law enforcement during public protests is public safety. Why are people allowed to hide their faces and have no accoutability for what they are doing? Any one of them could do something awful and get away with it becase they are allowed to hide their faces and no one knows who they are.

If you are so gung ho for something that you attend a pubic protest where you have NO expection of privacy, you are in public after all. Why do you hide your face? Why are you wearing a facemask or ski mask and super dark sunglasses? I mean arent you there to say this is what I believe? Why dont you stand there and say This is who I am and this is what I believe? Why hide your identity? Are you afraid of retaliation from the other side? Or are you afraid of what your friends and family will say if they find out what you believe in?

Lets start here, we hide out of fear. Its a primal feeling, hiding. We do it when we are scared… So what is it that scares you so much that you have to hide who you are when you are standing up for what you believe in?

For public safety reasons maybe the police should be able to require protesters remove face coverings. After all you have no expection of privacy in a public place especially at a public protest or rally.