Latest news with #weaponsamnesty
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
UK ninja sword ban begins as 1,000 bladed weapons surrendered in national amnesty
More than 1,000 weapons have been surrendered under a UK government amnesty aimed at tackling the country's worsening knife crime crisis as a ban on ninja swords comes into force, the Home Office said on Friday. The month-long campaign, which ran throughout July, encouraged individuals, particularly young people, to hand in weapons anonymously at designated amnesty bins and mobile collection vans. According to media reports, the initiative follows a string of high-profile knife attacks and is part of a broader government crackdown on the sale and possession of bladed weapons. One of the most tragic incidents took place in July 2024, when 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana launched a stabbing spree at a Taylor Swift-themed children's dance recital in Southport, leaving three girls dead and 10 others injured. The tragedy sparked public outcry and prompted ministers to vow for stricter age checks, tougher enforcement on online weapon sales and a ban on specific bladed items, including zombie knives, machetes and now ninja swords. As of Friday, it is against the law to "possess, manufacture, import or sell ninja swords in England and Wales," according to a statement by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC). The APCC also intends to understand the "root causes behind a person's decision to carry a knife – a choice that places them at greater risk of becoming a victim of knife crime themselves." Individuals caught with such weapons in private can face up to six months in prison, a sentence that is expected to rise to two years under the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Possession in public already carries a penalty of up to four years' imprisonment. Related Man jailed for 30 years for knife attack targeting French magazine Charlie Hebdo German police call for further security measures after spate of knife attacks The new restriction is part of Ronan's Law, named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who in 2022, was stabbed and killed with a ninja sword. "We believe this new ban on Ninja swords will make a significant difference in the availability of these deadly weapons, including additional powers for the police to remove them, particularly in relation to gang related violence affecting young people," the APCC said. Knife crime in England and Wales has surged by 87% over the last ten years, with 54,587 incidents reported in the past year alone, a 2% increase from 2023 and some of the highest levels seen in Europe, local media reported.
Free Malaysia Today
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
UK ninja sword ban begins as 1,000 weapons surrendered
Knife crime in England and Wales has risen by 87% over the past decade. (EPA Images pic) LONDON : At least 1,000 weapons have been surrendered under a British government amnesty launched last month to combat knife crime, the interior ministry announced today, as a new ban on ninja swords came into effect. Overall, knife crime in England and Wales has risen 87% over the past decade, with 54,587 offences recorded last year alone, a 2% rise from 2023 and among the highest rates in Europe. On July 29, 2024, teenager Axel Rudakubana attacked a Taylor Swift-themed children's dance event in the northern English town of Southport, killing three girls and stabbing 10 people in one of Britain's most harrowing knife assaults. Since then, the government has pledged tougher age checks for knife buyers, warned social media firms they could face fines for failing to curb sales and promotion of weapons, and banned zombie-style knives, machetes and ninja swords. Over the month of July this year, the government urged young people to drop off weapons, including bladed ones, at 'amnesty' bins or a mobile van – part of efforts to control knife crime, particularly when it involves youths. The government said at least 1,000 weapons have been handed in. A mobile van will be deployed at the Notting Hill Carnival in London later this month in response to past knife-related violence by a small number of attendees. It is unclear whether the 'amnesty' bins will stay in place once the month-long campaign comes to an end. The interior ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Charities and experts call the government's efforts a step forward but say they fail to address the root causes. The interior ministry said that knife-related robberies have fallen in seven highest-risk areas, dropping from 14% of all robberies in the seven highest-risk areas in the year ending June 2024 to 6% in the same period to June 2025. The ban on buying and selling ninja swords is part of the government's pledge to introduce Ronan's Law, named in honour of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was fatally stabbed with a ninja sword in 2022. Campaigner Martin Cosser, whose son was killed in a knife attack two years ago, previously told Reuters that the issue was not just about the weapon itself, but about the 'emotional drivers' that lead people to carry knives in the first place.
