| Author | Message | ||
     Johnnymceldoo |
The sale of imitation samurai swords could be banned by the end of the year, the Home Office announced today. Importing or hiring the weapons could also be made illegal following a string of samurai sword attacks in recent years. Breaching the ban, which is targeted at cheap imitation samurai swords rather than the more expensive genuine collectors' items made by licensed swordsmiths in Japan, would result in up to six months in jail and a £5,000 fine. Collectors and martial arts enthusiasts owning or using genuine samurai swords would be exepmt from the ban According to Home Office estimates, there have been at least 80 serious crimes involving the swords in England and Wales over the last four years. One MP recently warned that they were being used by criminal gangs as the preferred weapon of choice after guns. Last month, amphetamine addict Hugh Penrose was jailed for at least 19 years for hacking a 21-year-old woman with a samurai sword and then deliberately running her over. In October, Bradley Moran was jailed for 17 years for murdering another man with a samurai sword following an argument in a nightclub. It is currently legal to buy samurai swords - which are freely available at martial arts shops and on the internet - provided they are not brandished in a public place. The Home Office now wants to ban their sale as part of a wider crackdown on knives and bladed weapons. Carrying a samurai sword in a public place already attracts a maximum jail sentence of four years. Vernon Coaker, the Home Office minister, said today: "Samurai sword crime is low in volume but high in profile and I recognise it can have a devastating impact. "Banning the sale, import and hire will take more dangerous weapons out of circulation, making our streets safer. "We recognise it is the cheap, easily-available samurai swords which are being used in crime and not the genuine, more expensive samurai swords which are of interest to collectors and martial arts enthusiasts." "It is already illegal to have a samurai sword in a public place but I want to restrict the number of dangerous weapons in circulation to enhance community safety." The plans are outlined in a consultation paper, Banning Offensive Weapons, published by the Home Office today. At present there are 17 weapons, including knuckle-dusters and batons, on the Offensive Weapons Order. The exemptions would be for groups such as the To-ken Society of Great Britain and the British Kendo Association. Last year, Tory MP James Brokenshire (Hornchurch) said cheap samurai swords were as easy to buy "as purchasing a Lotto ticket". How do you protect yourself in the UK? | ||
| Rich |
What's next, Swiss Army Knives?  | ||
| Buellshyter |
"Banning the sale, import and hire will take more dangerous weapons out of circulation, making our streets safer." Hilarious !! I guess there has been a rash of samurai wielding thugs roaming the streets of London. | ||
| Unibear12r |
Surprised they're not trying that here! There was a high profile love triangle case here where one guy hacked another to death with a Samurai sword. I suppose the fact that they were all constantly wacked out of their minds on crank had little to do with it!  | ||
| Swampy |
Yeah, they have no purpose whatsoever.....only to kill and maim thats why I only let my kids play with firearms. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
This follows a case a couple of years back when a guy went nuts in a primary school in London with one, nobody killed but the teachers got quite badly cut up defending the children. That said, it's the nanny state coming out again. What's going to be next? Here's another thought, ok samurai swords are going to be banned, so what's your local sword wielding crazy going to do? he's going to say " damn I can't do that those are banned I'll have to use the Claymore instead" Yeah right, like anybody who's off to commit crime with a samurai sword is going to worry that they're not permitted. Another total waste of public money, I'd be interested to know how much all this costs. | ||
| Ryker77 |
"Some people call it a sling blade. I call it a Kaiser blade. Mmmmmmm." -- http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g2/closer2there/slingblade.jpg  Better ban those too! Do these idiots not recall what Hitler was able to do with guncontrol. Then had to have us gun toting Americans save there ass. | ||
| Rocketman |
The latest rumour circulating the UK, according to this mornings Sunday Tabloids, is the banning of all kitchen knives and steel cutlery such as table knives and forks. Plastic manufacturers are going to have a field day when these new laws are introduced. The steady state price of silver is also said to be under threat as the middle and upper classes dispose of their fine silver ware. Antique collectors are up in arms, as their fine collections, some dating back to the 16th century, are said to be destined for the melting pot. Expect to see silver ware, lots of it, for sale on international eBay anytime soon! Rocket | ||
| Ducxl |
I'm for the ban.We have a shop here that sells all sorts of knives(AND SAMURAI swords),right next to the bongs and pot pipes and drug paraphenalia. They're marketed to the trenchcoat mafia sorts.And have no place in the "hunting" realm. I own a Fred Carter knife marketed by Harley-Davidson.The actual blade design is NOT like the more realistic "Swiss Army Knife",which should never suffer being banned The UK ban is probably in anticipation of the impending Islamic fatwa to behead all non-muslims  | ||
| Buellshyter |
Where is V when you need him | ||
| Just_ziptab |
Those that beat their swords into plows..............will plow for those that don't.  | ||
| Sanchez |
Just goes to show you that it's people who commit crimes and not weapons. Make one weapon hard to get, and people will just find another one. At some point it will be illegal to make a fist. | ||
| Alpha |
Better hope nobody gets killed by a tweaker in a car. You'll all be walking! I'm for the ban.We have a shop here that sells all sorts of knives(AND SAMURAI swords),right next to the bongs and pot pipes and drug paraphenalia. Now that you've pretty much admitted to recreational whatever you want to call it, stay out of the head shop if you don't like it. They sell AKs in the same store where I get gear for my kid's soccer stuff and camping gear. Doesn't bother me any. (Message edited by alpha on May 21, 2007) | ||
| Interest |
Anyone train in Kendo/Budo? I don't mind cheap replication $50 swords being banned, but if they ever tried to take my inherited WWII katana or any of my hand-forged steel they would probably have to take it from me,...and I would be shot. What about a bokken? (Wooden training sword) It's deadly in the hands of someone who understands how to use it. I actually carry my bokken in my truck behind the seat. Granted, I use it during practice but it's still a deadly weapon in the right hands. I suppose some gang bangers aren't going to have any actual training or respect for what they're holding though. I'd like to see the look on their face when someone skilled in Aikido takes their sword away from them faster than they knew what happened. | ||
| Rainman |
If they'd let people have guns those damn sword-wielding criminals wouldn't stand a chance! | ||
| Icon12r |
+1, Interest. | ||
| Kdan |
You can strangle someone with a woman's bra or pantyhose. Could we please add them to this list and ban 'em for good? Underwear doesn't kill people, people kill underwear. | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
I've heard wearing tighty-whiteys lowers your sperm count. Hane's and Fruit-of-the-Loom are guilty of mass preconception killings. | ||
| Ducxl |
I suppose some gang bangers aren't going to have any actual training or respect for what they're holding though. +1 And give me the chance at a moments notice and i'll pass ANY drug test.I do not do drugs.Did them.Don't DO them. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
You slice a 30° angle on the edge of a credit card and it becomes a very sharp short sword.......limited only by your reach. Gonna ban them too? | ||
| Scottykrein |
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/122243/we ird_news_police_officers_aided_by.html | ||
| Ryker77 |
Anyone train in Kendo/Budo? I train in Judo. Taken some Aikido classes and thought it was to sissy. If at all possible I would "flight" before fight a guy with a sword. Just hope the attacker has never had any training! Guess we should ban martial arts as well? | ||
| Interest |
Aikido too Sissy? Must have been Aiki-ki. Yoshinkan Aikido training is required of the Tokyo Riot Police. In a martial-arts rich area like Tokyo, Aikido must be powerful if it's required that their riot police complete a course. |
