Real life druid arrested for wearing sword in public.

[Planesdragon]

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

He has religious rights, IMO.

I'm sure he does. But even in the US (where we provide the acoutrements for satanists on death row), he could be busted if he caries a weapon around against local ordinances.

OOTH, since it's rather hard to conceal a sword, he'd have a 2nd amendment right, too.

 

[tensen]

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

Actually according to the organizations forums... it would be that bearing a sword taking 5 minutes to unwrap being a danger to public safety.

But as for them being whacky.. I believe that group is also called the Arthurian Warband...with Arthur Pendragon being the leader's legal name...
They are known for a number of court cases.

 

[mythusmage]

OTOH, wearing a sword is legal in San Diego County. As long as it's visible and above a certain length. Which applies to all blades. Something I learned during the 2002 Comic Con.

 

[MerakSpielman]

OOTH, since it's rather hard to conceal a sword, he'd have a 2nd amendment right, too.

In the US you probably could not be convicted of a crime for carrying around a sword unless you are either a) concealing it; or b) menacing people with it.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I don't know about the UK, but here in the US, your right to religious freedom can be restricted if perceived to be a potential public hazard.

Under such a rationale, practitioners of certain faiths have had their right to carry their ceremonial/religious knives restricted in certain places. I would hate to see how fast the Judge's gavel would fall in the US if this guy had been on school, bank, or Court grounds, or trying to board a plane with that thing. It might come close to violating the speed of light.

 

[Xath]

As far as I know, In MD, the only place where you CAN'T wear a sword in public, is ironically, the renaissance festival.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Lightning bolt! Lightning bolt! Lightning bolt!

You mean Call Lightning

AR

 

[ForceUser]

I tend to agree with this:

...modern druids are sometimes dismissed as fantasists with a fondness for dressing up and no genuine link with the activities of the past.

 

[Umbran]

In the US you probably could not be convicted of a crime for carrying around a sword unless you are either a) concealing it; or b) menacing people with it.

Weapon ordinances vary from state to state, and locally. Some places say that a blade over a certain length is legal, others don't.

 

[Dogbrain]

In the US you probably could not be convicted of a crime for carrying around a sword unless you are either a) concealing it; or b) menacing people with it.

No. Every individual state, county, and municipality sets its own laws. There is no USA-wide policy as such on swords. Some locales ban all edged weapons (and have convoluted language to exclude pocketknives and cooking knives).