Two bins have been located in Tottenham, one at the White Hart Lane recreation ground, the other at Tottenham Green outside the old Tottenham Town Hall.
“One life lost to knife crime is one too many,” Haringey Council cabinet member Ajda Ovat said. “It’s fundamentally important that we get these dangerous weapons off of the streets to prevent people getting seriously harmed or fatally injured.
“We’re determined to minimise the risks of falling victim to zombie knives, ninja swords and other weapons that should now be taken to the surrender bins. We urge anyone who has one of these dangerous blades to drop them off.”
A ninja sword has a straight cutting edge and a ‘tanto’-style point. It measures up to 2ft in length, between 14 and 24ins.
The ‘amnesty’ bins are part of a month-long Home Office campaign to surrender the weapons before the August 1 deadline when tough legislation kicks in.
It becomes illegal after that date to manufacture, import, sell or even possess ninja sword. Anyone caught possessing one could face six months’ jail time — which is likely to rise to two years under measures proposed in the Crime and Policing Bill going through Parliament. There is already a four-year sentence if caught carrying any sort of weapon in public.
These soon-to-be-illegal knives and swords “can now be surrendered responsibly and securely” by a youngster, parent, relative or any member of the public at White Hart Lane and Tottenham Green. The bins are being maintained by the Word 4 Weapons campaign charity.
An ‘amnesty’ mobile van is also being parked outside the Vue Cinema and Nando’s in Wood Green High Road on July 23, from 2 to 5pm.
There are two other ‘amnesty’ bins at the Muswell Hill Baptist Church in Dukes Avenue and at St Paul the Apostle Church at Bradley Road in Wood Green — but don’t accommodate ninja swords.
