Pooja Kanda, whose son Ronan was just 16 when he was killed by two 17-year-old boys with a ninja sword, said: “We believe ninja swords have no place in our society other than to seriously harm and kill”
Murdered Ronan Kanda’s mother has welcomed a ban on ninja swords to take effect within months.
From August 1, it will be illegal to possess, manufacture, import or sell the weapons, as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said it was “far to easy” for teenagers to get hold of deadly blades.
And Ms Cooper praised the Mirror’s decade-long campaign to get knives off our streets.
Anyone caught in possession of a ninja sword after the ban could face up to six months in prison.
For more than a decade, the Mirror has campaigned for laws around the sale of knives and longer blades to be tightened in a bid to end the violence on our streets.
Pooja Kanda, whose son Ronan was just 16 when he was killed by two 17-year-old boys with a ninja sword, said: “We believe ninja swords have no place in our society other than to seriously harm and kill.
“We are so grateful to our government for hearing us and for recognising how important and urgent it is to get these dangerous weapons off our streets.
“Each step towards tackling knife crime is a step towards getting justice for our boy Ronan.”
She told the Mirror: “Thank you so so much for all your support from the beginning of our fight. Our family appreciates you guys, and we shall continue out fighting against the knife crime.”
Ms Cooper said: “Knife crime is destroying young lives as too many teenagers are being drawn into violence and able to get their hands on dangerous weapons far too easily.”
“Ronan Kanda was just 16 when he was ruthlessly killed by two boys only a year older than him, after they brought knives and a ninja sword online.
“We have introduced the final part of Ronan’s law to Parliament in his memory – banning the weapons his killers should never have been able to buy.
“In the face of such heartbreak, the courage of Ronan’s mother, Pooja, has been remarkable.
“She has become a powerful voice for change that has inspired us all to act with urgency and purpose – and the Mirror has been a vital platform for this campaign to get the attention it deserves.
“We will explore every avenue to turn the tide on knife crime but we know we cannot do this alone. This is a fantastic example of what we can achieve when all corners of society work together to protect young lives.”
Ronan’s sister Nikita, 24, told the Mirror: “This is something we’ve wanted for two and a half years now so we’re really pleased and it’s a big thing. “It’s mixed emotions because it took something so tragic and really should have been in place a long time ago.“But we’re really happy and it means a lot to us because it will make a difference.”Nikita and her mum Pooja now want to help do more to beat knife crime, including campaigning for further measures, including a government licensing system.Nikita added: “There’s so many more things to do. We want a licensing system to crackdown on who can buy these weapons and knives.“With the previous government we had a lot of words, but no action, but this government is listening to us so we need to keep going and do more to help solve this problem in society.“I would like to thank the Mirror. It has a very big following and has supported us and helped us throughout our journey.”
Ahead of the ban there will be an amnesty from 1-31 July to allow the public to surrender the weapons safely.
But weapons purchased from tomorrow, March 28th onwards will not be eligible for compensation under the scheme.
The ninja sword ban is the final part of Ronan’s Law, which is laid before Parliament today.
The law aims to tackle the online sale of knives, with measures including a two-step verification process and hefty fines for company executives who fail to remove knife crime content from their platform.
It also introduces tougher penalties for being caught with a knife in public and for selling a weapon to any person under 18.
Ronan’s Law will also require online retailers to report any bulk or suspicious-looking purchases of knives to the police.
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Patrick Green, CEO of the Ben Kinsella Trust also welcomed the move.
He said: “These weapons, with no practical purpose beyond violence, are simply instruments of war and have absolutely no place in our society or on our streets. The ease with which such dangerous items have been available has contributed to far too many tragedies.
“The additional measures under Ronan’s Law, designed to hold those who sell these weapons to account, are critical in breaking the supply chain that fuels this violence. We commend the Government for listening to victims’ families, and for taking decisive action.”
Sandra Campbell, Chief Executive Officer of Word 4 Weapons added: “Ronan’s tragic death at the hands of a ninja sword highlights the urgent need to tighten legislation around dangerous weapons, online and otherwise.
“This law is a crucial step toward reducing violence and protecting lives in our communities.”
