First they ban hunting wild mammals with dogs, then they try to ban groups of youths congregating on the streets, then they ban smoking, and now they’re going to ban us from buying swords (although the surprise for me was that swords were freely for sale – obviously a market Tesco on-line has failed to tap).
Note that our Justice minister - Cathy Jamieson (still struggling to come to terms with the idea of a Justice ministry not just being about locking lots of people up but about things like law reform, funding legal aid, and issues of civil law; and still refusing to appear on Newsnight Scotland in case they ask her questions) warns of,
“the damaging effects of swords, including samurai swords, being wielded on the streets.”
and
“As I have made clear before, we do not wish to unnecessarily restrict or adversely impact on religious, cultural or sporting activities – but neither will we allow communities to live in fear of sword-wielding thugs.”
I’d better go now. There was a van across the road this morning which had “fencing” written on the back of it which clearly means I’m in danger from an army of sword-wielding thugs.
Have there been _any_ cases of thugs wielding samurai swords on the streets?
Or do they, in fact, prefer knives?
Not that I’m aware of. The knife seems to be the favoured assault weapon.
There was the case in England where the MP was attacked the other year but aside from that…
Still, Cathy has spoken. It must be true. She wouldn’t be senselessly worrying vulnerable members of the electorate in the run up to an election by doing something which has no real effect but which appears to be doing something. We can of course all rely on that.