The law's genesis seems to be to keep the military identifiably military and everyone else civilian.
As reported by Theresa Gordon of the Antigua Daily Observer, on July 23, 2013:
Anyone caught wearing or selling military-type camouflage clothing
will be arrested.
The get-tough stance was announced by Staff Judge Advocate of the
Antigua & Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) Orlando Michael.
Michael said the ABDF would be working along with the police to
enforce this provision within the law which appears to be ignored by
many.
He said the move is very critical and comes at at time when numerous
victims of crime have reported being attacked by individuals dressed
in camouflage attire.
“Military officers will be engaged in crime prevention along with the
police and we don’t want anyone to mistake a civilian for a milliary
person,” Michael told state television yesterday. “This may cause
persons to drop their guard.
“Once we see persons who are misrepresenting the military in any
attire, the full force of the law will be applied,” Michael added.
According to the Defence Act 2006, it is an offence to wear, “without
authority, any uniform or part thereof, or any article of clothing
made from any disruptive pattern materials used for making the
military uniform commonly called the camouflage uniform, or from any
other material so nearly resembling any of those materials as it is
likely to deceive.”
The law also restricts the wearing of any uniform or part thereof worn
by any military organisation of any other country.
Another piece of legislation addressing the wearing and sale of such
clothing is the Military Uniforms Act of 1997.
It states, “No person shall import, trade, sell or deal in military
uniforms or decorations except with the approval of the minister.”
Any person who commits an offence under this section is liable, on
summary conviction, to a fine of $2,000 or to imprisonment for one
year.
