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Weapons Guidelines

Definition of a Weapon

For this policy the term “weapon” is defined as: Any item that is able to cause damage or personal injury. This includes adapted and intended items.

General Rules

  • Weapons may be allowed: a) as part of a costume or b) as part of a game/show/event or c) as personal tool, if there is a reasonable need for it during the convention.
  • The authority about all weapon-related questions lies with the Head of Security
  • There is no right to carry a weapon at the convention
  • All weapons must be examined and checked in with Security, who will decide upon acceptance based on this weapons policy and their own assessment and knowledge about the requesting guest
  • All weapons not covered by this policy can only be allowed in exceptional cases. Please contact the Head of Security for further advice.
  • All accepted weapons will be marked after being checked in an appropriate way (usually with a luminous cable-tie)
  • An accepted weapon may be required to be peace-bound
  • Tampering with a peace-binding or a weapon’s marking will invalidate the clearance for the weapon immediately
  • The Security Team, and the Head of Security reserve the right to deny or revoke acceptance or to require a weapon to be peace-bound at any point and for any reason
  • While it is not acceptable for attendees to carry metal replica hand weapons (e.g. re-enactment weapons) or replica firearms deemed too realistic in the convention space, as per the whitelist and blacklist below, attendees wanting to pose with such props in the official fursuit photoshoot can carry the props in a secure container to the photoshoot and back. The attendee is still required to declare the items at Security so they may be logged as approved for that purpose. No concessions can be made for airsoft guns
  • Any decision about accepting or denying a weapon can be overridden by the Head of Security

Basic Rule

Weapons are ONLY acceptable if:

  • they are intended and used as part of a costume

OR

  • they are intended and used as a tool that has a reasonable use at the convention

OR

  • they are considered harmless

Whitelist

The following weapons are generally acceptable:

Tools

Tools don’t have to be marked. It is enough to check the parameters, note the owners name and badge number and remind them not to play around with the tool.

  • Multitools (Leatherman, Gerber, Victrinox, etc.) with or without blades. No blade may be longer than 10cm.
  • Multi-function (with at least one other tool or gadget beside a blade) pocket knives. No blade must be longer than 10cm.

Short, “Bladed” Weapons

All “bladed” weapons with less than 40cm/15,7” total length (including the handle) are considered short.

  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) daggers
  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) knives
  • Plastic daggers (if no sharp edge is present and if not sturdy and pointy)
  • Plastic knives (if no sharp edge is present and if not sturdy and pointy)

Long, “Bladed” Weapons

All “bladed” weapons that exceed 40cm/15,7” total length (including the handle) are considered long.

  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) swords
  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) axes
  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) Spears
  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) pikes
  • Wooden long-weapons, training swords and the like (Note: These weapons must be peace-bound in any case as long as they are not used in an event that is supervised by security)

Blunt Weapons

  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) maces
  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) clubs
  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) flails
  • LARP (foam or foam-covered) morning stars

Projectile Weapons

  • Water pistols (May only be used outside and with caution)
  • Water rifles (May only be used outside and with caution)
  • NERF-Guns and identically constructed foam-dart-weapons

Projectile weapons must not be loaded indoors. Discharging any projectile weapon indoors invalidates the weapons clearance immediately. NERF-Guns and identically constructed foam-dart-weapons may be required to have their magazine removed from the weapon indoors.

Look-Alikes

  • Not-live firearm replicas made of plastic (if the muzzle is closed with a bright-coloured cap and the item does not appear life-like to a casual observer)

Blacklist

These weapons are not acceptable, even as part of a costume.

  • All offensive and defensive weapons that are illegal under UK law
  • All live firearms (including airsoft)
  • All sharp blades exceeding a blade-length of 10cm
  • All locking blades (including multitool blades if they lock into place)
  • All pointy weapons if they are sturdy enough to penetrate naked skin
  • All metal replica hand weapons (e.g. re-enactment swords)