Brits have until Aug. 1 to get rid of all their ninja swords as the U.K.’s Labour government looks to crack down on knife crime.
Keir Starmer, the U.K. Prime Minister, has revealed plans to ban “ninja swords” following the tragic murder of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda in 2022. The teenager was fatally stabbed with a ninja sword just outside his residence.
“Confirmed: Ninja swords will be banned by this summer,” Starmer said in a post on X. “When we promise action we take it.”
The British government has introduced a scheme for individuals to surrender any ninja swords in their possession. These swords are described as blades ranging from 14 to 24 inches, characterized by a straight cutting edge with a tanto-style point.
Starting from August 1st, individuals found with ninja swords in private locations may be subjected to a 6-month prison sentence, which could later be extended to 2 years under the new provisions outlined in the Crime and Policing Bill. The government emphasized that carrying any weapon in public already carries a penalty of up to 4 years in prison.
Knife crime has long plagued the U.K. and though offenses involving a “sharp instrument” committed last year across England and Wales were down from a 15-year peak in 2019, they were still substantially higher than crimes reported in 2010, when 33,800 crimes were reported, versus the 50,500 cases in 2024.
A person views knives available to purchase via an online website. (Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
A sharp instrument, according to the U.K., could include knives, but it could also include the use of a broken bottle to commit an offense.
The U.K. saw a significant drop from the 52,000 cases involving a “sharp instrument” reported in 2019 by the following year with 41,700 cases reported.
But these incidents have continued to increase each year since.
Nearly two dozen different types of knives are already banned in the UK, including swords that are not a part of a national uniform, switch blades, zombie knives, belt buckle knives or butterfly knives, to name a few.
Knives that are permitted are those used for cooking or while working and have a cutting edge of no more than three inches.
Though the government states that “it’s illegal to use any knife or weapon in a threatening way.”
Under Ronan’s Law, jail sentences were also increased for selling knives to minors and the illegal sale of banned knives.
An officer outside All Saints Catholic High School on Granville Road in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, after a 15-year-old boy died in a stabbing at the school Feb. 3, 2025. (Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)
“Knife crime is destroying young lives as too many teenagers are being drawn into violence, and it is far too easy for them to get hold of dangerous weapons,” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement. “Ronan Kanda was just 16 when he was ruthlessly killed by two boys only a year older than him.
“We are acting with urgency to bring forward measures to prevent deadly weapons from getting into the wrong hands and will continue to do whatever is needed to prevent young people being killed on our streets as part of our mission to halve knife crime over the next decade.”
