Kirpan

Kirpan (wikipedia.org)

Shastar Defined: Weaponry in Sikhism (thoughtco.com)

England and Wales (source: wikipedia.org)

As a bladed article, possession of a kirpan without valid reason in a public place would be illegal under section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. However, there is a specific defence for a person to prove that he had it with him for "religious reasons". There is an identical defence to the similar offence (section 139A) which relates to school grounds. The official list of prohibited items at the London 2012 Summer Olympics venues prohibited all kinds of weapons, but explicitly allowed the kirpan (PDF).

On 11 September 2016, it was reported that 55 men armed with bladed weapons had trespassed into Gurdwara Sahib Leamington and Warwick and threatened people there in connection with a dispute over an inter-faith marriage, and kirpans had been confiscated when armed police attended. However, it was later reported that the kirpans were ceremonial, and there was no mention of their playing any part in the incident—the men were arrested on suspicion of trespass, not carrying knives.

Selling, buying and carrying knives (Gov.uk)
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Useful information:-

• What is the legal standing on Sikhs wearing the Kirpan? (sikhanswers.com) (posted April 12th, 2010)
• Criminal Law and the Kirpan in the UK - Sikh Helpline
• Should religion be an excuse for carrying daggers? (posted 9 February 2010) (BBC)
• Home Office rule change for Sikh solicitors attending UK detention centres (posted 21 January 2015) (lawscot.org.uk)
• Sikhs protest against knife rules (posted 8 April 2009) (BBC)
• London 2012 Olympics chief allows Sikhs to carry ceremonial dagger (posted 29 July 2011) (theguardian.com)
• The Sikh Kirpan: Balancing Religious Freedom with Security (posted 25 May 2011 (huffingtonpost.com)
• Are Kirpans OK When Flying? New TSA Regulations (posted 27 June 2014) (thoughtco.com)
• UNITED SIKHS works with Halfords to confirm that a Sikh may wear a Kirpan on their premises (posted 3 February 2016) (unitedsikhs.org)
• Carriage Of ‘kirpan’ By Sikh Passengers While Travelling By Air (airindia.in)
• NYC Court Dismisses Criminal Kirpan Charges Against Sikh (posted 22 July 2014) (sikhcoalition.org)
• Sikhs protest against knife rules (posted 8 April 2009) (BBC)
• Boy's Sikh dagger in school ban (posted 13 October 2009) (BBC)
• Protest at Sikh temple was attempt by youth group to 'reclaim religion' (posted 12 September 2016) (theguardian.com)
• 'I never thought I'd be terrorised by my fellow Sikhs at a wedding' (posted 03 November 2016) (theguardian.com)
• Kirpans, Law and Religious Symbols in Schools (PDF) (posted 09 August 2012) (3harecourt.com)

Merlin Group adopts new kirpan policy (10 March 2018)
sikhcounciluk.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/14-PRESS-RELEASE-Merlin-Group-adopts-new-kirpan-policy.pdf

UK Knife Law and Everyday Carry Pocket Knives that are Legal – a Barrister's overview [19 Feb 2021]:-





UK Knife Law [30 May 2022]


9 Feb 2023:-

(1)Any person who sells to a person under the age of [F2eighteen] years

Sale etc of bladed articles to persons under 18 (1)In section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (sale etc of bladed articles to persons under 18)