This is a rather excessive reaction to a few isolated incidents:
Legislation against selling, making, hiring or importing samurai swords in England and Wales has come into force.
Those breaking the law face six months in jail and a £5,000 fine...
Samurai swords are part of Japanese history and genuine artefacts can change hands for large sums of money.
But in recent years there has been a trade in reproductions which can be bought over the internet for as little as £35 and they have been used in several attacks. (BBC)
How is this going to stop any attacks? All it will mean is that the gangs of hoodies and the like will just change their choice of weapons from samurai swords [if, of course, they don't already own them] to something else. Such as large kitchen knives.Those breaking the law face six months in jail and a £5,000 fine...
Samurai swords are part of Japanese history and genuine artefacts can change hands for large sums of money.
But in recent years there has been a trade in reproductions which can be bought over the internet for as little as £35 and they have been used in several attacks. (BBC)
Unless they want to ban any and all bladed implements that could be used to attack or threaten anyone with, this is an utterly pointless law that is nothing more than bansturbation.
It is already illegal carry to swords and knives in public, so why don't they try and enforce this law - which will accomplish their aims alone - before they start introducing new laws which won't go anywhere towards preventing the in the future the sort of incidents that have caused them to create it.
