Someone has been done for carry Zombie knives.

[Minotaur]

BBC - Zombie Knives
Not sure why they are on about Zombie knives as from the description they were stopped and had fixed blades on them with no good reason.
The 2 knifes shown are Kombat branded knifes so not sure I would class them as covered by the Zombie law.
That said I would be even more careful carrying a tracker these days.

 

[Toddy]

Those are pretty aggressive looking knives though. I can see why they would be of concern to some people.

Not my kind of thing those ones, but it's rather the thin edge of the wedge when people are arrested for just having a knife, not for threatening to use it in a malicious way.

I've become so reluctant to carry and use a knife outside my own garden these days.
I don't think that's really healthy. They're tools, they're good tools, but there's always a numpty

M

 

[Mesquite]

Not my kind of thing those ones, but it's rather the thin edge of the wedge when people are arrested for just having a knife, not for threatening to use it in a malicious way.

The law is pretty clear on carrying knives Mary. If you've got a justifiable reason to be carrying a fixed bladed knife then you're fine.

However, I really can't think of any justifiable reason to be carrying knives like that which clearly falls under the definition of a zombie knife.

The definition under the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 is
In paragraph 1, after paragraph (r) insert—

“(s)the weapon sometimes known as a “zombie knife”, “zombie killer knife” or “zombie slayer knife”, being a blade with—
(i)a cutting edge;
(ii)a serrated edge; and
(iii)images or words (whether on the blade or handle) that suggest that it is to be used for the purpose of violence.”

The other thing to bear in mind is one of them was also charge with drug offences.

 

[Pattree]

While this may be covered by new legislation, carrying those knives in public and without good reason would have been treated in exactly the same way decades ago.

 

[Jared]

The bottom knife looks like an Aitor military knife knockoff.

Aitor Oso Blanco, and seemingly can buy them in the UK.

 

[Tantalus]

"They were both charged with possession of a knife"

Note the wording.

 

[Wildgoose]

Indeed, Possession of a knife. Would have been the same charge if they were carrying Mora’s without good reason.

 

[Broch]

It's the intent and good reason argument - what is one's intent carrying a knife with your face covered? And, of course, where were they?

 

[Toddy]

I take @Mesquite's point, but by that same token, public perception carries an awful lot of weight on knives these days.
Where I live the local bus shelters had signs up saying, "Carry a Knife, Go to Jail", and that phrase was the election 'statement' for one of the major political parties.

It's not always straightforward, even if legally one might be in the right.

So, I am reluctant, I think that's the best word, to be seen in public in a public space, not at an event, using a knife these days.

Truthfully I carry small pruners in my bag instead. Not as useful, but still useful.

Those two knives in the OP's post; those would most definitely had the police asking for a 'reason to carry'. Certainly around here.

M

 

[just_john]

The BBC has just just tagged that phrase on most likely.

I saw a news report about a stabbing outside a bus, with an early news article saying the weapon was a suspected 8inch serrated machete. When the proper reports came out it was a kitchen knife. which one sounds more interesting

 

[Nice65]

The BBC has just just tagged that phrase on most likely.

I saw a news report about a stabbing outside a bus, with an early news article saying the weapon was a suspected 8inch serrated machete. When the proper reports came out it was a kitchen knife. which one sounds more interesting

I just went to open the link Minotaur attached to his post and remembered I hadn’t bothered to update the BBC news app on my phone for the simple reason I don’t like being told what to think by politicised news sources.

 

[just_john]

I just went to open the link Minotaur attached to his post and remembered I hadn’t bothered to update the BBC news app on my phone for the simple reason I don’t like being told what to think by politicised news sources.

I deleted the app once they started making you sign up for an account. I do still use the browser version when needed though

 

[Pattree]

Any agency that reports activity is going to appear politically biased to someone.
The BBC is fighting for its survival against a powerful political lobby. It faces direct attack from two previous prime ministers. Only recently it has refused to give in to political pressure to change its reporting.

Like it or not it is still the standard by which reporting is measured (by the global news broadcasting industry.)
Think yourselves lucky that you are not depending upon American (CNN is probably the best of a bad lot), Russian or Chinese journalism for your information. Not to mention Sky Murdoch!!! It is very difficult to disentangle the skein of news that comes out of Europe on any single issue.

For myself - I use BBC, Reuters and AlJezira. Issues that loom large in our press so often appear considerably less significant from other perspectives.

Like many here, I think that “knife laws” are ineffective but the alternative is to address the issue of knife wielders. This is not politically acceptable because it is:
Slow;
Cannot be attributed directly to government action;
Cannot be reduced to a sound bite.
Cannot be demonstrated in a vivid picture.
Takes an enormous political effort.

It is a demonstration of the political process described by Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) -
“Something MUST be done!”
“This is something.”
“Then we must do it.”

 

[Woody girl]

8 inch serrated machete sounds way more scary than a kitchen knife. Shock horror value.
Where oh where would you get an 8 inch serrated machete, ?
Anyone who knows anything about knives would instantly query that, and know it for what it is, sensationalism, as there being no such thing.

 

[just_john]

8 inch serrated machete sounds way more scary than a kitchen knife. Shock horror value.
Where oh where would you get an 8 inch serrated machete, ?
Anyone who knows anything about knives would instantly query that, and know it for what it is, sensationalism, as there being no such thing.

The latest wave of legislation banning anything over 8 inches with serrations, or more than one hole or multiple points. Plenty of survival knives will be for the bin now

 

[just_john]

What is a zombie knife? Weapons with certain blades to be outlawed

The complete prohibition will take effect in September, and anyone found in possession of one of these knives will be subject to jail time

www.standard.co.uk

Elianne Andam: Boy, 17, appears in court over murder of schoolgirl in Croydon - BBC News

The 17-year-old charged with murdering the schoolgirl has been remanded in custody.

www.bbc.co.uk

Funnily enough here are the two articles I read.

I would just like to point out the knives in the first article idiotic and I am certainly not promoting any violence. In fact I don't know what I am trying to say, just the article annoyed me

 

[nigelp]

Where oh where would you get an 8 inch serrated machete,

Until they banned the import, and ownership of them they were easily obtainable online. The Chinese e-commerce sites were selling them without any, or very little age verification.

 

[MartinK9]

It's the intent and good reason argument - what is one's intent carrying a knife with your face covered? And, of course, where were they?

Covid.

 

[Paul_B]

OK a bit of realism here. Two guys acting suspiciously with their faces covered in an urban area. There were reports, plural, of two men with covered faces acting suspiciously. The police stopped and searched them as is their job. They found knives and drugs. The guys got arrested for knife possession. The BBC used the word zombie knives not the police.

Oh, one more thing. Pennywell in Sunderland is one of the largest social housing estates in the country it has been known as a high crime rate area since it was first built.

My only surprise at this is not the arrest but the fact the police got more than one report of them acting suspiciously. The high crime rate sink estates near me you'd not get one report and until about 5 years ago the police wouldn't have gone in there anyway.

Look in you want to make a point about attitudes to knife carrying and laws you can make it outright on its own merit. I suggest you don't muddy the waters by trying to tag it on to a legitimate stop and search with cause that resulted in crimes other than carrying being detected. This is not a case to argue imho. Any attempt to do so is not good for the cause of decriminalisation of justified and legal knife carrying.

 

[just_john]

OK a bit of realism here. Two guys acting suspiciously with their faces covered in an urban area. There were reports, plural, of two men with covered faces acting suspiciously. The police stopped and searched them as is their job. They found knives and drugs. The guys got arrested for knife possession. The BBC used the word zombie knives not the police.

Oh, one more thing. Pennywell in Sunderland is one of the largest social housing estates in the country it has been known as a high crime rate area since it was first built.

My only surprise at this is not the arrest but the fact the police got more than one report of them acting suspiciously. The high crime rate sink estates near me you'd not get one report and until about 5 years ago the police wouldn't have gone in there anyway.

Look in you want to make a point about attitudes to knife carrying and laws you can make it outright on its own merit. I suggest you don't muddy the waters by trying to tag it on to a legitimate stop and search with cause that resulted in crimes other than carrying being detected. This is not a case to argue imho. Any attempt to do so is not good for the cause of decriminalisation of justified and legal knife carrying.

Not sure who that's aimed at, I don't think anyone has criticised the police or suggested anything other than a pair of idiots getting what they deserve?