The UK government has confirmed that ninja swords – increasingly linked to street violence – will be outlawed nationwide from 1 August, in a landmark decision spurred by the tragic murder of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda in 2022. The ban follows relentless campaigning by Ronan's family, after he was stabbed to death with a sword bought online in a horrifying case of mistaken identity.
Under the incoming legislation, it will become illegal to possess, manufacture, import or sell ninja swords in the UK. Anyone caught with such a weapon in private from August could face up to six months in prison, with repeat offenders facing up to two years behind bars under proposals set out in the Crime and Policing Bill.
