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Glanton Bob - Echoes from the edge of town »A COUPLE of students of mine were going home recently when they were pulled over by the boys in blue.
The excuse (not that they need one) by the police was that the car they were travelling in was not registered as being from that area.
Asking the lads what it was they had in the back of the car one of my students answered: “Weapons, swords and sticks and things.�
An honest answer, if not maybes the most sensible one!
The copper took a step back with a sharp intake of breath and was most likely thinking about backup, helicopters and the armed response unit!
Luckily my students were able to placate him quickly and pointed out they were martial artists travelling from their place of training back to home.
And, as they had all their weapons safely stored in appropriate carrying cases they were in fact not breaking the law.
My point? With the samurai sword ban now firmly in place PC Plod will be looking to (rightly) enforce the law. So, beware and be safe.
Here are some tips:
· Always carry your weapons in an appropriate carrier case.
· Have your martial arts licence with you.
· Only carry your weapons from home to training and back again. Never take them out of your house at other times – that would be breaking the law.
· If stopped tell the police what you are carrying but don’t attempt to take them out of the bag – that could be seen as being hostile and likely to see you pepper-sprayed, batoned and cuffed in very quick succession.
· If they want to inspect the weapons let them do it themselves and give them plenty of space so they don’t feel threatened.
· Tell the police officer that you have a genuine reason for carrying them and that the method of transportation is firmly within the law.
· If you are arrested call a solicitor before answering any questions – this is a fundamental right under the law.
If anyone would like the Home Office list of banned weapons reply to the post and include your email address in the comment and I’ll send one out to you.
It’s the Big One
The Marfest08 – the big event of the North East’s martial arts calendar is almost upon us.
The event is being held at Seaburn Leisure Centre, Sunderland, on Saturday, 26 April to raise cash for Cancer Research UK and will feature some of the top instructors from around the region.
Groups represented include Western Historical Fighting Systems; Capoeira; Karate, Kempo and Ju-jutsu; Aikido, Kung Fu and pressure point arts plus many more.
Cancer affects one in three in their lives and the more money raised, the more research CRUK can carry out to combat this terrible disease.
So, if you get a chance, pop along and support this event. You never know, the money you donate could be the vital cash that funds new techniques that in the future you or your loved may need.
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