Real life druid arrested for wearing sword in public.

[KenM]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040713/od_afp/britain_justice_druid_040713145223

He has religious rights, IMO.

 

[Crothian]

We all know real Druids don't use swords, they aren't even profecient in them according to the PHB!!

 

[Ranger REG]

He has religious rights, IMO.

Do you know where I can look up United Kingdom's charter or constitution regarding religious right?

 

[Torm]

Do you know where I can look up United Kingdom's charter or constitution regarding religious right?

There is no guarantee to freedom of religion that has been signed into law specifically for the U.K., however, they are signatories to the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. See here. Especially Articles 9 and 14.

Blessed Be.

 

[trancejeremy]

IIRC, The UK doesn't have a written constitution, in the sense that other countries do.

 

[Ranger REG]

There is no guarantee to freedom of religion that has been signed into law specifically for the U.K., however, they are signatories to the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. See here. Especially Articles 9 and 14.

Blessed Be.

Hmm. I'm guessing the prosecuting counsel will have to prove that bearing a sword would be a danger to public safety.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Lightning bolt! Lightning bolt! Lightning bolt!

 

[msd]

Hmm. I'm guessing the prosecuting counsel will have to prove that bearing a sword would be a danger to public safety.

I bet that he won't actually. It sounded like the issue was much narrower - does the type of sword which the defendant carried at the time constitute an "offensive" weapon. In other words, it sounds like public policy in Britain is such that carrying an "offensive" weapon (however that phrase is defined and construed in the relevant statute or case law) in a public place is per se a threat to public safety.

I'm willing to bet that the statute is something that says "you can't carry offensive weapons in public places" (a gross oversimplification, but you get the picture).

BTW, I'm pretty sure that a 1st Amendment challenge (given similar facts in an American jurisdiction) wouldn't be sustained in an American court of law...

Just my .02

-matt

 

[Tewligan]

Hm. The article says that they use the sword for (cough) casting spells. Why did he need it in a hardware store?

Druid: Zounds! The price of this hammer is outrageous! Methinks a bit of sorcery will convince yon shopkeep to accept a more reasonable price.

Hardware Clerk: Umm...security to the front, please.

Also, the guy's name is Merlin. His legal advisor is named King Arthur Pendragon. I weep for humanity.

 

[Torm]

Hm. The article says that they use the sword for (cough) casting spells. Why did he need it in a hardware store?

Not sure exactly what the cough was for, but I do think they could get any number of practitioners of his own claimed faith - Druids, in other words - to testify that, while it's not strictly speaking forbidden, you aren't supposed to just go walking around all over the place with a RITUAL BLADE! It's the equivalent of walking around town with a church steeple - once again, not forbidden by the church, but what the heck are you up to?

Speaking as a "New Age Mystic", myself, I think this guy might be a little bonkers.