Rapper In The News
Jun. 12th, 2008 10:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hmmm_teaThere have been a lot of emails going around sword dancers recently about the Offensive Weapons Amendment to the Criminal Justice Act and fears that it could affect traditional dances such as rapper and longsword.
As far as I can see, it's fairly dubious if it will affect rapper at all as I would doubt that the swords would legally be thought of as swords (you're not likely to stab someone with a blunt bendy bit of metal with a handel at each end). The amendment itself seems mainly aimed at Samurai swords.
The story seems to have been picked up by the Daily Mail today
Although I'm not generally a Mail reader, it's actually quite a good article.
As far as I can see, it's fairly dubious if it will affect rapper at all as I would doubt that the swords would legally be thought of as swords (you're not likely to stab someone with a blunt bendy bit of metal with a handel at each end). The amendment itself seems mainly aimed at Samurai swords.
The story seems to have been picked up by the Daily Mail today
Although I'm not generally a Mail reader, it's actually quite a good article.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-13 12:22 pm (UTC)The main reason seems to be that "Curved single-edged sword over 50cms long" is a stupid definition of a dangerous weapon - straight ones are just as dangerous, and so are shorter ones and double-edges ones. The rule can be avoided by carrying a straight sword, so we need anti-avoidance legislation covering those too.
Or, you know, the existing offensive weapons legislation which looks directly at the reason for carrying something and carries stiffer penalties could be used. But that seems unlikely, as the new legislation is unnecessary if you follow that (correct) line of argument.