Imitation Samurai swords too be banned!!

Helen

Helen

Helen

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Imitation Samurai swords are to be banned after a spate of attacks in the UK, say ministers.

The Home Office has confirmed plans to outlaw the weapons in England and Wales after putting forward the idea earlier this year.

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said there was a clear danger to the public posed by easily-available swords.

The proposal is expected to stop short of banning genuine Japanese swords held by collectors or genuine enthusiasts.

In March 2007 the Home Office proposed banning imitation Samurai swords after representations from both MPs and the public. Ministers in Scotland had proposed a similar move in 2006.

Calls for a ban came after a number of high-profile incidents in which cheap Samurai-style swords had been used as a weapon.

The Home Office estimates there have been some 80 attacks in recent years involving Samurai-style blades, leading to at least five deaths.

While genuine Samurai swords are part of Japanese history and change hands for large sums of money, there is a trade in imitation blades which can be bought over the internet for as little as £35.

Jail threat

Under the proposals, the government will ban the import, sale and hire of Samurai swords from April 2008.

Anyone breaching the ban will face six months in jail and a £5,000 fine.

However, ministers say they have recognised there is a special case for exemptions for genuine collectors of the original weapons and acknowledge there is a legitimate role for the blades in some forms of martial arts.

Vernon Coaker said: "In the wrong hands, samurai swords are dangerous weapons - there have been a number of high profile, serious incidents involving samurai swords in England and Wales in recent years.

"It is therefore crucial that we take this action to tackle the menace of violent crime.

"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."

In 2000 Andrew Pennnington - an aide to former Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones - was murdered when Robert Ashman attacked both men at a constituency surgery in Cheltenham.

And at the beginning of December this year a Lincoln man was jailed after using a Samurai-style sword to murder a passer-by whom he thought had attempted to rape his wife.

The Association of Chief Police Officers has backed the Home office move saying that while the weapon is relatively uncommon, there is justification for a ban.

While genuine collectors such as museums will still be able to trade in the weapons, it remains unclear what measures will be put in place to prevent people from buying cheap blades via the internet, already considered a major marketplace for the swords.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7139724.stm

Personally I think the ban on cheap but deadly swords is long over-due and it's a shame 5 people have had too be killed before the ban was talked about :mad:
 
There must be far more attacks and murders committed with knives, why aren't we banning those too?

If someone wants to kill someone with an imitation sword and they can't get one, they can just walk into a highstreet store and buy some kitchen knives instead.
 
Hmm an interesting one. I'm all for banning things that kill people, but imitation Samurai Swords you can buy legally here at the moment are only allowed to be sharp enough to chop vegetables. So shall we go about banning kitchen knives too?
 
Like most things it's a pity fews' actions have spoilt it for the rest. I know a lot of very safe people who have e.g. been awarded Samurai and decorative swords for e.g. high ranking martial arts erm, stages.


(That doesn't make any sense :()
 
I heard someone got beaten to death with a cricket bat a while ago.

When are we going to ban these barbaric killing implements too?
 
In the wrong hands a teaspoon is a weapon.
I agree with the ban but lets put it this way, guns are illegal, how many of them still do the rounds?
 
I sure as hell am not giving up my collection. The police can buy them off me for the full price if they want, otherwise they are staying where they are.
 
Let's ban the Govt. I bet they've been responsible for the deaths of far more people in this Country and others than Samurai Swords ever have!
 
No-one should need to own a sword in Britain in this day and age, I'm glad they're banning them, shame they aren't banning the real thing as well tbh.
 
Why not make beer bottles plastic as well. Would it have stopped the 3,706 people hit with them (and 16 killed) between '96 - '98.
And what about crossbows, air rifles, lock knifes and Rambo style blades. In fact why not ban the entire army surplus shop as well - who needs a metal chicken wire at home...or the foldable spade and mini axe.

Some people actually have fun collecting fake swords.... and would never dream of using them. But why would this country ever want anyone to have fun anymore.

The guys that used the swords were hell bent on causing damage, and if the sword wasn't there they would have used something else.

A stupid decision as usual. There are far worse things that need sorted.
 
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I love my small collection which ive had for several years, ive no intention of giving them up, just because some muppet stuck it in another person..... may as well ban everything as anything can be used to kill!!! what a dumb law!! and a waste of time!
 
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