Home Office proposes ban on samurai swords
Replica sumarais set for total ban?
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Monday, 05, Mar 2007 12:00
Replica samurai swords could be banned by the end of the year, following recommendations from the latest Home Office consultation.
Banning Offensive Weapons proposes a ban on the sale, import and hire of replica samurai swords, adding them to the 17 weapons including on the Offensive Weapons Order.
In the past four years there have been 80 serious crimes involving imitation samurais in England and Wales. The Home Office notes that genuine, collectable swords are not used in crime, but rather cheaper, easily available swords.
Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said: "Public safety is our greatest priority. 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."
It is already illegal to carry a samurai sword in a public place.
Mr Coaker noted that violence crime has already fallen by a third in the past ten years.