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Man, the uk is a silly place
Yeah, i mean if someone really wants to decapitate someone they can just go to the next best hardware store and get a chainsaw. This is so pointless.
https://archive.is/52YjV#selection-515.0-533.242
I will bet you that Parliament would be willing to impose a ban on possession of a chainsaw without just cause.
Playing devil's advocate, chainsaws are used for cutting trees and other tasks, they are not inherently a weapon unlike a sword (these are similar arguments to the ones used about gun control). I do find it silly to ban weeb swords, but mostly because I don't think they're ever really used for crimes? Or did I miss some info about a wave of ninja murders in the UK?
Yeah there are probably more deaths from chainsaws than those swords. But yeah ofcourse in this case there is no legal use case other than artistic value. For things like folding knives tho there are lots of good legal uses and they are still banned.
I think you're only banned from carrying locking knives (or big knives) in public without a good reason, so on the very off-chance you were questioned by plod then "I'm a tradie going to work" or whatever should be a fine explanation.
Wait, they ban basic knives as well? Might as well ban nail clippers!
This will probably be a reaction to the Hainault sword attack last year which resulted in the murder of a schoolboy, attempted murder of others in the street, and an attack on a sleeping family, using a samurai sword. The trial is due to start tomorrow.
They are unfortunately being used by children, who understandably think they look sick as shit, to murder each other. Here are some "highlights":
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czddg1zvl34o
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-66187503
Why? Is there a legitimate reason for anyone to own or be able to easily purchase a ninja sword?
yeah, decoration/recreation (or do you want to ban the bow and arrow too? maybe ban boxing gloves?)/historical preservation
banning swords is absurd, if anything you want miscreants to use swords because they're fucking massive and obvious, you can't conceal a katana.
meanwhile if someone wants to kill and not make that fact visible, they can just.. keep a screwdriver in their pocket and stab someone, and you're never going to ban screwdrivers.
Blunt weapons and historical items are not banned per this legislation.
Why would you need a reason—legitimate or otherwise—to justify owning a sword?
Because it’s a weapon.
It's ridiculous to ban them because of that. The criminals could just use a kebab knife instead or whatever. A proper way would be to ban carrying all long knives around, except in closed boxes. So the kebab guy or sword collector can buy a knife and bring it to his restaurant/home, but by the time a criminal gets it out of the box ppl can call the police and it's already a crime.
You already need to have a reason to carry around a large blade. Anything over pocket/eating size. Someone with a kebab knife would have to be selling, gifting, repairing or travelling from or to a kebab place.
With these swords, collecting them is a good reason that would make it difficult to prosecute someone carrying it as a weapon. Banning them means the person carrying them is without doubt a criminal, because they are now illegal.
Most people committing knife crimes don’t have a profession (that they would tell police about) that requires large blades.
Collecting them isn't much of a reason to be carrying them around.
I don't think the police would let you off if you claimed to have just bought it. I'd expect them to demand some kind of proof.
The law is so when they raid a gang members home and find five swords they can do something other than compliment them on their awesome ninja sword collection.
How many of these were done with a freaking katana LMAO
A non-zero amount
So is a water pistol. Depends if I change the pH of the water?
Let’s be real honest is that still just water?
Depends if it's rainwater or, salty tears. pH can go either way then.
Vinegar or bicarbonate you choose
It's not legal to carry a water pistol full of acid either.