Possession of the bladed weapons will be criminalized from August 1 amid rising knife crime concerns.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The United Kingdom will ban private ownership of ninja swords starting August 1 as part of a broader legislative crackdown on knife crime, the Home Office announced Thursday. Individuals found in possession of such weapons in private settings could face up to six months in prison—a penalty that is expected to rise to two years once accompanying legislation is passed.
The measure represents the final phase of Ronan’s Law, a crime prevention initiative named in memory of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was fatally stabbed with a ninja sword in 2022 in a mistaken identity attack by two teenage assailants.
“Knife crime is destroying young lives as too many teenagers are being drawn into violence and it is far too easy for them to get hold of dangerous weapons,” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said. “Ronan Kanda was just 16 when he was ruthlessly killed by two boys only a year older than him. Today we are introducing the final part of Ronan’s law in his memory—banning the ninja swords that his killers should never have been able to use.”
According to the Home Office, ninja swords typically have a single-edged straight blade ranging from 14 to 24 inches (36 to 61 cm) and often feature a sharply angled “tanto” tip. The new restriction follows a 2024 ban on so-called “zombie” knives and large machetes—blades exceeding eight inches with serrated edges—frequently linked to gang violence.
The legislation also includes provisions requiring retailers to notify authorities of bulk or suspicious sales and imposes increased penalties of up to two years for selling knives to minors. Public possession of any offensive weapon in the UK already carries a maximum sentence of four years.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has labeled the issue a “national crisis,” with the Home Office citing statistics showing a 41 percent increase in knife crimes in England and Wales since 2011. In the year ending June 2024, police recorded 50,973 incidents involving sharp instruments, up from 36,000 in the year ending March 2011—excluding figures from Greater Manchester.
In London alone, 10 teenagers were killed in stabbings last year, following 18 similar fatalities in 2023, according to the Metropolitan Police.
In advance of the new law’s enforcement, the government will launch a one-month amnesty program in July, encouraging the public to voluntarily surrender prohibited weapons without penalty.
SOURCE
Leave a Comment