Amnesty launched as part of mission to halve knife crime

Part of the Government’s most ambitious surrender scheme yet and the Plan for Change, the 37 new amnesty bins and the locations of the mobile surrender van will be strategically placed in these high-risk areas throughout July, in partnership with local councils, to provide young people with an accessible and alternative way to hand in weapons without needing to go to a police station.  

Throughout this month, the Government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and other grassroots organisations will be using their platform as trusted voices in communities to encourage young people to hand in their weapons via these routes, while signposting them to local support services.

From 1 August 2025, deadly ninja swords will be banned in full – and illegal to possess in public or private – and so, in addition to the surrender arrangements across the three ‘hotspot’ areas, people will also be able to hand in ninja swords to designated police stations across the country.

Collaborative working

Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said: “This scheme is a result of months of collaborative working with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together as part of our Plan for Change.”

Johnson added: “I’m incredibly grateful to Pooja Kanda, Sandra Campbell and Faron Paul whose work to tackle knife crime is making a real difference to young peoples’ lives.”

Further, Johnson noted: “This scheme is just one part of addressing knife crime. We will not stop listening to those who are directly working with those impacted by this form of criminality.”

The scheme has been designed to provide people with a range of ways in which to hand in weapons outside of police stations. Word 4 Weapons and FazAmnesty, both members of the Government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, have a proven track record in supporting young people to surrender dangerous weapons and directing them towards local support.

Faron Paul, founder of FazAmnesty, explained: “I’m proud to support the extended surrender scheme and the launch of the mobile amnesty van which gives people a safe and easy way to hand in weapons, knives and other dangerous items. By taking this service directly into communities, I hope we can reach more individuals, encourage positive decisions and help reduce the number of harmful items on our streets.”

Surrender and compensation scheme

The ninja sword surrender and compensation scheme is running in tandem throughout July in police stations across England and Wales. The ban on ninja swords is a result of the tireless campaigning of the Kanda family, who tragically lost their son Ronan in 2022 when he was killed with one of these deadly weapons.

The ban on ninja swords is part of Ronan’s Law, which was introduced to Parliament this year and includes measures to stop the illegal sale of knives online. Ronan’s Law will be included in the Crime and Policing Bill.

Members of the public wishing to surrender a ninja sword in exchange for compensation should take them to their local police station. Ninja swords can also be surrendered in any available surrender bin however this will not result in any compensation. Full details about how to claim compensation for ninja swords can be found online at GOV.UK or via local police.

Pooja Kanda, knife crime campaigner and mother to Ronan, said: “It has been three years since Ronan’s life was tragically taken as a result of the wounds inflicted by a ninja sword. Since then, we have relentlessly campaigned for ninja swords to be taken off the streets as they have no place in society.”

Kanda continued: “The Government has now introduced a ban on ninja swords. We would encourage those in possession of such weapons to surrender them and make the community a safer place where children can walk home without fear.”

Sandra Campbell, CEO of Word 4 Weapons, concluded: “In partnership with the Home Office, Word 4 Weapons proudly supports the ninja sword ban and the removal of dangerous weapons and knives from public spaces to help build safe communities for all.”