UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in an X post on Thursday, "Confirmed: Ninja swords will be banned by this summer. When we promise action we take it."
The post was made in response to a previous post he made last year amid what he said was the epidemic of "knife crime" in Britain. "Knife crime is at epidemic levels and is ruining lives across Britain. As Prime Minister, I'll crack down on sales of these lethal weapons once and for all. When I announce a ban, you’ll get a ban," he wrote in January 2024.
According to the UK government website, the ban will make it "illegal to possess, manufacture, import or sell" ninja swords. The swords are defined as a "blade between 14 inches and 24 inches with one straight cutting edge with a tanto style point" by the law.
The law will go into effect starting August 1, and those caught possessing the knives will face six months in prison and the law will increase the penalty over time to two years in prison. The British government also plans on confiscating the ninja swords people have in their possession in the month of July leading up to the ban's implementation.
In the UK, there are heavy laws regulating the carrying of knives, and law requires that the blade be under three inches if the carrier does not have a "valid reason" to carry the blade, according to Knives and Tools. However if the knife is over three inches, people need a "good reason" to be carrying the blade.
Banned knives in the UK include switch blades, butterfly knives, knives that are disguised in any way as a phone or other item, machetes, samurai swords, and several others. UK-based actor Idris Elba has even suggested kitchen knives should have a dulled point in order to prevent stabbings.
