Ban on imitation Samurai swords(UK Barf Alert)

BBC News International Version ^ | 12/12/07 | BBC News

[Oshkalaboomboom]

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.

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.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

What a pathetic nanny state England has become. Soon it will be plastic knives and forks and the entire country will be paved over so citizens can't have access to deadly stones.

[MrPiper]

I wonder if the ban includes pointed sticks.

[Red_Devil 232]

I don’t guess they are banning authentic Samurai swords. What about their own homegrown swords?

[Toadman]

I’m bookmarking this. A classic example of what happens when people give up their freedom to government.

[Tarpon]

Ban guns, use knives, ban knives, use swords, ban swords, use bombs, hey wait, bombs are banned. OK then we have to ban the bomb ingredients you can buy at Home Depot, now you are talking. BTW one of the best materials to make a knife or sword out of is an old car leaf spring -- Good old carbon steel. If you are into that, they are easy to make, all you need is a cheap grinder to make a servicable kife or big sword. Look at it this way, they have been making knives for 1000s of years, how hard can it be. Buck knives started with car springs, as did Marbles Knives. Make your own sword. ... The ridiculous liberals, they never see the light, not worth trying to fix them., I am convinced, liberalism is a disease.

[Nailbiter]

The war was great fun until....

They started throwing rocks and pointed sticks, LOl

That is a butchered qoute from tv show Dinosaurs (not enough coffee as yet)

[armymarinemom]

Youtube playing with swords

[TLI]

The ridiculous liberals, they never see the light, not worth trying to fix them., I am convinced, liberalism is a disease.

I would say mental "disorder" ie, whackjob sick-o, but that may be just a matter of semantics.

[Manic_Episode]

The Manager of Ye Olde Samurai Crumpet Shoppe had this to say:

"hachimitsu wo moratta kuma no pu-san wa katajikenai to iimashita sessha wa kuma no pu-san no youjinbou de gozaru"

[Beckwith]

My katana is very real.

[JEC]

What a pathetic nanny state England has become. Soon it will be plastic knives and forks and the entire country will be paved over so citizens can't have access to deadly stones.

As the owner of a very genuine and expensive Samuri Sword, I personally wish that they would just ban these cheap imitations altogether. They are literally garbage and can be easily gotten by almost anyone. Those of us that have the real thing would never use the sword for anything other than keeping in our own personal collection.

[Chode]

Right!!! Well then... henceforth, all things sharp will be banned, and all things pointy shall also be banned, and anything that is sharp AND pointy is right out!!!

Also, things that are blunt are banned, and things that are heavy are banned, and things that are blunt AND heavy are RIGHT OUT AS WELL!!!

Well, lets see... that about cover it then???

[2harddrive]

In the UK they Rock and Roll for Knife Control! SERIOUSLY, scissors are NEXT on the banned list! Janet Reno wanted to do the same thing here, you may remember, and requested copies of British laws to help fit them into the US Code of Federal Statutes.

[Shellback Chuck]

As the owner of a very genuine and expensive (gun), I personally wish that they would just ban these cheap imitations altogether. They are literally garbage and can be easily gotten by almost anyone. Those of us that have the real thing would never use the (gun) for anything other than keeping in our own personal collection.

How does that sound??

[sionnsar]

all you need is a cheap grinder to make a servicable kife or big sword

Well then, obviously they need to take away cheap Saturday-night grinders too.

[sionnsar]

I personally wish that they would just ban these cheap imitations altogether.

When they came for the cheap swords I said nothing, for I did not own a cheap sword.

[indthkr]

neutered nanny-state bump..........

[spunkets]

LOL!

[JEC]

As the owner of a very genuine and expensive (gun), I personally wish that they would just ban these cheap imitations altogether. They are literally garbage and can be easily gotten by almost anyone. Those of us that have the real thing would never use the (gun) for anything other than keeping in our own personal collection. How does that sound??

I enjoy my iron sights.

[spunkets]

"As the owner of a very genuine and expensive Samuri Sword, I personally wish that they would just ban these cheap imitations altogether. They are literally garbage and can be easily gotten by almost anyone.

Swords for me, but not for thee.

Define garbage.