Shields also, in public. Would be pretty funny.
Swords are off-limits:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/1-2/14/section/1
Prevention of Crime Act 1953
Any person who without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, the proof whereof shall lie on him, has with him in any public place any offensive weapon shall be guilty of an offence
That being said:
Shields also
I’m not aware of anything restricting armor use in public in the UK.
kagis
https://www.uk.safeguardclothing.com/blogs/articles/body-armour-uk-law
UNITED KINGDOM
In the United Kingdom, there are currently no legal restrictions on the purchase and ownership of body armour.
There is a law against wearing it in Parliament.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_forbidding_Bearing_of_Armour
The Statute forbidding Bearing of Armour (7 Edw. 2. St. 1) or Coming Armed to Parliament Act 1313 (originally titled Statuto sup’ Arportam’to Armor or Statutum de Defensione portandi Arma) was enacted in 1313 during the reign of Edward II of England. It decrees “that in all Parliaments, Treatises and other Assemblies, which should be made in the Realm of England for ever, that every Man shall come without all Force and Armour”. The statute, which was written in the Anglo-Norman language, goes on to assert the royal power to “defend Force of Armour, and all other Force against our Peace, at all Times when it shall please Us, and to punish them which shall do contrary.” It declares that “Prelates, Earls, Barons, and the Commonalty of our Realm… are bound to aid Us as their Sovereign Lord at all Seasons, when need shall be.”[1]
The law is still in force today, though the Crown Prosecution Service has said that it is unaware of anyone being prosecuted under this or other archaic statutes in recent times.[4] According to a CPS spokeswoman, “If anyone was caught in the Houses of Parliament wearing armour it would first be a matter for the police.”[4]
Even on my best days I’m having trouble trusting the average person to competently walk and breathe at the same time. To think those same people could responsibly carry around an implement of murder - let alone wield it - is a mighty tall order.
You mean like a car?
Yes. Exactly like a car. That often doesn’t work out too well either.
Carry one yourself. And a shield.
Problem is: Those people I don’t trust with a sword? I’m one of them.
I have always wanted to own a sword; but I will never trust the general public to be responsible swordspeople.
Or just get a crossbow, they are already legal.
Is it. Pretty much like any weapon you are required to have a lawful reason to carry. As hunting with them is illegal. Carring every day is fairly easy for a cop to question.
Some guy got arrested for gardening, but I think it’s because of the police interview he took.
I wonder what happens if you just carry a sword everywhere and say it’s a fashion statement. Iirc there is a Sikh sect which carries swords as a religious custom and they’re fine
Sikh sect which carries swords
According to wikipedia, all (male) Sikhs who choose to become Khalsa (and thus gain the surname “Singh”, meaning lion) are supposed to keep 5 special items with them at all times, one of which is a dagger - but it was originally a sword. All these 5 items begin with the letter K, and include a kirpan (the dagger/sword), the kara (a steel bracelet) and kesh (uncut hair, typically wrapped in a turban). I’m not sure, but KDE is probably recommended also.
One thing I didn’t know - it’s forbidden for such Sikhs to eat “halal” meat. That can’t be easy in some countries.
I nearly burst out laughing when you mentioned KDE
Lawful reason is pretty open to court interpretation. Job or pass time has tended to require actual appointments or indication of intended visit. Carrying in any way as an every day thing will tend to involve it being classed as a weapon.
I have a fairly large knife (far from a sword) strapped to the inner door of my brother’s and my little narrow boat. As on the canals and rivers it is a genuine safety need to cut ropes or remove branches weeds etc.
But even walking with such on the towpath without a direct need has lead to friends arrest.
Edit; the kirpan is a specific exception in the offensive weapons act. So would not apply to anything not specifically allowed for in that act.
Religious exceptions do not apply in general. Only quoted one IE that one,
Just looked up. The crossbow law you may have mistaken.
Technically it is still legal to own and carry long bow. But not to use to hunt. The laws requiring Englishmen to train have been repealed, and carrying arrows must be safety tipped in public. So it’s not practical. But if you have a safe private space to practice (100m from public access).you do have a technical right.
But again carrying when. You are clearly not travelling to hobby shoot, is likely to come under offensive weapons act.
No just learn to run and you can get out of most situations without getting into a duel and carrying about a sword.
