this post was submitted on 10 Apr 2025

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US tourist arrested in seaside town ‘because he didn’t understand UK laws’ (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 11 months ago by Emperor@feddit.uk to c/kent@feddit.uk

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Police arrested an American tourist who admitted to openly carrying a knife on a British beachfront.

The man had reportedly been as he sunbathing in Herne Bay on Thursday when locals reported to Kent Police that he was carrying a knife.

The American reportedly told officers he came from an open-carry state in the US, claiming he had the blade for protection and was unaware he could not carry it in public in the UK.

After being arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife, he was handed a community resolution where British law around knife crime was “fully explained to him”, police said.

...

It is believed the tourist had picked up the steak knife from the kitchen of his rental property close to the coastline on Thursday April 3.

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[+] adam_y@lemmy.world 41 points 11 months ago (2 children)

[deleted]

[–] miss_demeanour@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

He had heard that Americans were attacked on the beaches during some big war that the Yanks won for the world.

[–] LilB0kChoy@lemm.ee 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I wish the article said which state because I’m not sure this is classic “American” but knowing the state would maybe shed some light.

I’m from Minnesota and you can open carry a knife here but it would be weird to see someone carrying a steak knife. A fixed blade knife you’d maybe see in a more rural area, especially during hunting season. A pocket knife would be probably pretty common. I myself carry a multitool everyday because there’s been all sorts of times I’ve found use for the pliers, screwdrivers, snips etc.

The dumbest part to me though is the claim about self defense. A knife is an awful choice for self defense if you have time to plan ahead, he’d have been better off bringing a rolling pin or a cricket bat or something like that if he’s that worried.

[–] Rekorse@sh.itjust.works 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I think in my state its pretty likely most steak knives are too long to legally open carry anyways. It does seem unhinged to just grab whatever knife you can find to bring out and about with you, in my opinion.

[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 11 months ago

even completely separately from moral dubiousness, the idea of carrying around a knife that isn't made to be carried around is completely wild.
it's like just.. holding a gun.. that's impractical and obviously makes you look like a threat.

[–] Diddlydee@feddit.uk 16 points 11 months ago (1 children)

A penknife I can understand. I often carry one as it has tools and is useful.

Carrying a kitchen knife is a different beast.

The fact that he can apparently do it at home is no argument (but an expected one from an American). It's on you to understand the law in places you travel to.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Nah, Americans aren't open carrying steak knives lmao, he's just shitposting because he watches Fox News and is scared of everything.

We have gas station knife stores for knife carrying needs, we have some class.

[–] robador51@lemmy.ml 13 points 11 months ago

When I was 14 I was on holiday in Poland. We used to go there every holiday, so I spoke a tiny bit of polish. I was on my skateboard on the road, when a police car stopped me, being on the road with a skateboard wasn't allowed. I explained that in my country this was allowed, so they let me go with a warning. Fast forward 2 weeks, I was at a lake camp side in the evening on a borrowed bike without lights when I came upon a police checkpoint. It was the same cops. They laughed and said "we know, you're from {country}!" and they send me off with another warning. Nice cops.

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 11 months ago (2 children)

The man had reportedly been as he sunbathing in Herne Bay on Thursday when locals reported to Kent Police that he was carrying a knife.

Did an LLM write this?

[–] Obelix@feddit.org 17 points 11 months ago

No, LLMs are really good at spelling.

[–] essell@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity. I think Douglas Adams said that 😁

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 11 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I enjoy the rather British response to this of taking him down to the station and giving him a talking to.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago

They made him read a pamphlet!

What a civilized country.

In the US the police would show up and start screaming conflicting orders at you, and if you tried to give them the knife like they asked they would open fire.

[–] MrPoletki@feddit.uk 2 points 11 months ago

https://youtu.be/3K0Esd1-ZEE

[–] Ghost_Pepper@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago

You are better off claiming to be a Sikh while carrying a ceremonial sword.

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 2 points 11 months ago

Flashback to the time I was on a plane with my grandma, and she pulled out an apple and a kitchen knife she had folded up her back shirt somewhere and started peeling away.

No one said anything; no one dared.

[+] crt0o@lemm.ee -19 points 11 months ago (3 children)

To be fair, I don't really understand what they're trying to achieve with these laws. A knife is just a tool, the issue isn't carrying one, but intending to use it to hurt someone, and if you intend to hurt someone, you will find some way to hide it anyways. If people are going around stabbing each other in the streets, the problem is much deeper than "they shouldn't be carrying knives in the public", perhaps your education system failed to teach them morality.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 17 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yeah...so you address all aspects and take the weapons away.

Someone with a knife is orders of magnitude more dangerous than someone without.

It wasnt even a personal carry knife, it was a steak knife from his rental. Bizzare stupid behaviour.

[–] crt0o@lemm.ee 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

There are legitimate uses for a knife besides using it as a weapon, for example slicing bread for a sandwich, opening packaging, slicing fruit etc., stuff that I could see myself doing at a beach...

My point was that even if you ban knives, that won't prevent people from carrying them, and this is confirmed by the fact that knife crime has been rising in the UK since the regulations have been put in place.

Tbf I thought it was a complete ban on knives in public, but apparently small pocket knives under 7cm are allowed, and you probably don't have any legitimate reason to carry anything larger than that, so I don't think the law is harmful, but it fails to address the core of the problem. And yeah, carrying a steak knife "for protection" is pretty strange...

[–] Rekorse@sh.itjust.works 2 points 11 months ago

The ban is technically on carrying a knife openly. If he had it in a picnic basket with a loaf of bread, there wouldnt be an issue.

The reason open carry is regulated is because it affects those around you and whether they feel comfortable or safe. Becoming the source of potential danger is not an acceptable way to make yourself feel comfortable or safe.

[–] milicent_bystandr@lemm.ee 10 points 11 months ago (2 children)

If someone walks by me with a knife, I have to be wary of an attack, since I don't know if that person is likely to or not.

And if people generally don't carry knives around, it's easier for the police to spot a risk.

It's also easier to apprehend the potential attacker. No, "go away officer, I'm quite within my rights until I've actually stabbed someone."

Then it's also harder for people at risk of violent tendencies to carry. And less risk of some impromptu argument escalating to knives rather than fists.

Now, there's nuance and counterpoint to all these points, and you might not agree with the law. I think those are all things the law achieves/benefits/mitigates, even if, as you say, it doesn't stop all intentional would-be knife attackers.

And perhaps our education system did fail... but not for everyone. I, too, would like to see a fully successful education system for every citizen, sojourner and visitor; but that's easier said than done.

[–] miss_demeanour@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 11 months ago (1 children)

If you believe you need a weapon on a beach in the UK, you're already beyond help.

[–] milicent_bystandr@lemm.ee 3 points 11 months ago

I dunno man, those seagulls...

[+] crt0o@lemm.ee -8 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

How I see it, stabbing someone is far more illegal than carrying a knife, so if someone is open to stabbing a person, this law won't stop them from concealed carrying. Now what is more dangerous, someone having a knife and you can see it, or someone having a knife and you can't see it?

There are also usually separate laws in place that prohibit brandishing a weapon, so I think apprehending potential attackers isn't a huge problem.

I guess it might reduce the amount of knives involved in random confrontations as you mentioned.

Looking up the stats, the laws weren't effective in decreasing knife crime, in fact it rose by over 50% in England and Wales between 2014 and 2019.

But then again, apparently carrying small pocket knives under 7cm is allowed, and you probably don't have any legitimate reason for carrying anything larger than that.

[–] MY_ANUS_IS_BLEEDING@lemm.ee 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It's the random stabbings that these laws are targeting. A lot of wannabe gangster teenagers in cities will carry a knife on them all day "for protection", and if they happen to get into a fight the knife inevitably gets used. It could also be argued that carrying a knife gives them the confidence to escalate a situation into a fight in the first place, foolishly thinking that they can "win" without considering that the other guy might also have one until it's too late.

Of course, that's not the only thing that's required, as it's a cultural problem that needs to be destroyed, but it at least does something.

[–] Rekorse@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 months ago

I was under the impression that knife fights rarely end without both parties injured. I dont quite get the draw of it over something like a bat or piece of pipe.

[–] Diddlydee@feddit.uk 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

An acid is just a liquid. Carrying a bottle of it shouldn't be an issue.

A hypodermic syringe is just a medical device.

An axe etc etc

Stupid reasoning.

[–] tazeycrazy@feddit.uk 2 points 11 months ago

Hey if your using it for it's intended purpose walking through a forest with an axe makes sense. On a beach not so much.