O.k. UK, WTF?Follow

Seriously, what the ****? You guys are going to end up getting your *** invaded by poland if you keep this crap up.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7331099.stm

Ban on samurai swords becomes law

Exemptions exist for antique sword collectors
Legislation against selling, making, hiring or importing samurai swords in England and Wales has come into force.

Those breaking the law face six months in jail and a £5,000 fine. Carrying a sword in public is already illegal.

Exemptions will cover swords which are used for re-enactments or antique weapons kept on display by collectors.

Eight years ago a councillor was killed by a man wielding a samurai sword in the office of Cheltenham Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones.

Anyone found guilty of importing samurai swords will face up to seven years in prison and an unlimited fine.

'Cheap reproductions'

Samurai swords are part of Japanese history and genuine artefacts can change hands for large sums of money.

But in recent years there has been a trade in reproductions which can be bought over the internet for as little as £35 and they have been used in several attacks.

This ban is part of our wider strategy to tackle serious violent crime

Vernon Coaker

Last month a gang of youths, one armed with a samurai sword, attacked a 15-year-old boy in Newry, County Down.

On another occasion, a youth was seen brandishing a sword in Newcastle.

Chris James, who deals in antique military items, including Japanese swords, told the BBC he welcomed the legislation.

He said: "I don't have a problem with it if it stops youths getting hold of cheap reproductions."

Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said: "The government takes violent crime very seriously and we are determined to do all we can to protect individuals and communities.

Consultation

"Having undertaken a wide consultation we recognise that it is the cheap and easily available samurai swords that have been used in crime. That is why we have made sensible exemptions for genuine enthusiasts.

"This ban is part of our wider strategy to tackle serious violent crime. Later this year we will launch a new advertising campaign aimed at preventing young people carrying knives."


In 2000 MP Nigel Jones survived a samurai sword attack

A Home Office spokeswoman said the government had consulted collectors and martial arts groups as well as laws enforcement agencies.

Swords aged over 100 years will be exempt from the law, and defences will be in place for crown functions, museums and drama productions.

Alf Hitchcock, of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said: "Throughout the consultation process the Association of Chief Police Officers has supported the government's position on the banning of samurai swords.

I'm all for deadly weapons control laws, but this is borderline "ban sharp pointy sticks" Thank god he wasn't killed a potato thrown at his head.

Not that I can see any point in owning a Samurai sword

Having studied Kendo and Iaido for going on 20 years, I can. On the other hand I can't imagine any reason someone would need to own a guitar other than to smash things with it.






Edited, Apr 6th 2008 7:55am by Smasharoo

I can understand some form of licensing rather than an outright ban, but I still see it as another stupid legislative intervention.

It's monumentally stupid. Banning weapons that make it possible to kill many more people than you could with, say, a cricket bat makes some sort of sense. Banning a specific weapon that's a cultural icon of an entire race of people is preposterous.

It's a slippery slope I say. I'll tell you this, if they come for my shillelagh, I'll knock the lucky charms right oot of em.

There's other ways to use a guitar?!


I must know of this new fangled way of wielding an "axe". Elaborate on this issue, please.

I'm very confused with the report actually since my best friend got his licence six months ago.

He like Smash is a Iaido student. Maybe he got a collectors licence...

If someone in the U.K. dies from spilling tea, will they outlaw that too? What if you are planning a re-enactment of the Boston tea party? If you are a tea collector, will you have to obtain a license for tea?

Personally, I'm a fan of allowing law abiding citizens to own certain types of guns if strict licensing procedures are followed, bi-yearly training classes which includes competency testing. I also think a person should have no felonies of any kind, no drug convictions of any kind including misdemenors, no history of mental illness, cleared of any diagnosed depression more than a year, and some others if I thought about it hard enough.

Regular citizens do not need assault rifles of any kind. Nor do they need any types of explosives, such as grenades.

Protection, pleasure, any number of reasons. If thats your stance, what justifiable should Joe Public have for any weapon, including battle types knives, bows, hand to hand combat weapons, etc.

I don't mean to sound combative with that statement, it's just that logic could be applied to a lot of things if thats the stance you take.

Edited, Apr 6th 2008 3:16pm by cpcjlc

Knives are lethal and many people carry them to defend themselves. Do you want them banned as well?

Many states allow people to carry personal weapons for defense. As much as the anti-gun people like to tout it, there are far less accidents than they wish people to believe.

Edited, Apr 6th 2008 3:40pm by cpcjlc

Edited, Apr 6th 2008 3:41pm by cpcjlc

As previously stated i would ban knives that are designed to be lethal, there is no reason why flick knives, hunting knives or switchblades should be availible to the general public.

Why is it so hard to grasp that killing people isn't a good thing to do and removing methods of killing people from the hands of thugs is a good thing?

Carrying a Knife to defend yourself is stupid in the extreme and you should be arrested, no if's no but's no maybe's. You are clearly intending to hurt someone and you should be in Jail.