Source: Daily News & Analysis
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1134428
British Sikhs are allowed by law to wear a kirpan, but thanks to the tighter security arrangements after 9/11 and 7/7, they are often denied entry into public places by security guards.
Fed up with the harassment they are now demanding that the government give clear guidelines about exactly where they are allowed to wear a kirpan and where they are not.
“Under the Offensive Weapons Act, a kirpan is exempt because it is an article of faith but security personnel deny us entry to public places because we are carrying it,” said Jagtar Singh, vice chair of Sikh Federation UK.
Sikh men and women wear the small sword with a three-to-four-inch blade in a sling across the body. “The blade is fairly blunt. How many times has a Sikh attacked someone with it?” asked Singh.