UK amends new weapons bill to allow possession of kirpans
What's the story
The UK government has confirmed an amendment to a new weapons bill going through the Parliament to ensure that it wouldn't impact the right of the British Sikh community to possess and supply kirpans, or religious swords.
The Offensive Weapons Bill 2018 completed its various readings in the House of Commons this week and has now moved to the House of Lords for approval.
Quote
We've engaged closely with Sikh community on this issue: Official
"We have engaged closely with the Sikh community on the issue of kirpans. As a result, we have amended the Bill to ensure that the possession and supply of large kirpans for religious reasons can continue," a UK Home Office spokesperson said yesterday.
New restrictions
Bill places new restrictions on online-sales of bladed articles, corrosive-products
The Bill introduces a new offense of possessing certain offensive weapons in public and places restrictions on the online sales of bladed-articles and corrosive-products in attempt to crack down on rising knife and acid-related attacks.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Sikhs led a delegation to the UK Home Office to ensure that kirpan remains exempt when the new bill becomes law.
Statement
Sikh MP in House of Commons appreciates the amendment
The Chair of the APPG for British Sikhs and Labor MP, Preet Kaur Gill said, "I am pleased to see the government amendment and look forward to seeing an accompanying set of documentation, which reflects the importance of not criminalizing the Sikh community for the sale or possession of large kirpans."
Gill is the first female Sikh MP in the House of Commons.
The meeting
APPG officials discussed legality of kirpan in the debate
Gill was accompanied by APPG vice-chairs Pat McFadden and Dominic Grieve at a meeting with UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Home Office minister Victoria Atkins to discuss changes to the Offensive Weapons Bill.
Her fellow Sikh MP, Tan Dhesi, made an intervention during the Offensive Weapons Bill debate in the Commons to seek "assurances about the kirpan, given the Sikh community's serious concerns".
Objective
Bill aims to strengthen existing legislative measures on offensive weapons
Large kirpans, with blades over 50cm, are used by the community during religious ceremonies in gurdwaras as well as for ceremonies involving the traditional Sikh Gatka martial-art.
They would have fallen foul of the new bill on the possession of large blades without the amendment, which has now been agreed.
The Bill aims to strengthen existing legislative measures on offensive weapons in the country.
Information
As per Bill, no sale allowed to anyone under 18
The Bill will provide new laws to ban the sale of corrosive-substances to anyone under the age of 18, to target people carrying acid, to make it more difficult for anyone under 18 years to buy knives online and to ban certain types of firearms.