Legal information
Behaviour, uniforms and the law
Up until recently it would not have be wise to be noticed dressed up in uniforms bearing weapons as one could easily been mistaken for terrorist groupings even if the local police station was informed of your presence.In regards to the law on uniforms protocols etc., there is in existence a legal perspective that is encapsulated within a specific Northern Ireland Order - as opposed to an act of parliament where general British laws are enacted - and that deals with flags and emblems that may cause offence to people or to society as a whole.
This legislation was mainly introduced to prevent individuals and grouping from exploiting the unique conflict situation that Northern Ireland society found itself embroiled in throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s. This legislation has recently been reviewed and updated to include further various offences that could result in a custodial sentence.On speaking to the police, they answered a few questions in relation to these matters. These questions and replies are marked with 'Q' and 'R' troughout the text.
Q: What if I was to walk down the main street wearing a WWII axis uniform?R: If you were to do so and this caused offence, i.e. a member of the public complained to a police officer, you would be approached and made aware that you are causing offence. You would be asked to remove or cover up offending emblems and if you refused, your details would taken by the police officers and cautioned or arrested for public order offences. The common sense approach is to wear the uniform when appropriate, such as when you are at an event, a show or a displaz. It should not be treated as an every day article of attire, therefore the pobability that you would cause offence would be dramatically reduced.
Firearms laws
Q: I have a deactivated bolt action rifle. Where and when is it legal to have it in the open.R: Although a deactivated firearm is no longer classified as a weapon one must always be aware that if you intentionally or innocently brandish a deactivated weapon in public to cause people to panic or frighten or for the purpose of intimidating either known persons or persons unknown, you will be subject to the full force of the law. A recent court case involved two men brandishing a replica AK47 were apprehended by the police. They were brought to court and given custodial sentences of two to three years, so extreme caution and common sense must be applied when you possess these deactivated weapons, such as not producing in public to cause alarm or panic or intimidate. In addition these deactivated weapons should be stored at home in a secure location and out of view from public gaze, if one requires to train, drill or display these weapons it should be on private premises or land for lawful purposes only and it would be wise to have on your persons your deact certificate as the ordinary police officer would not be able to ascertain whether it be a live weapon or not without the assistance of a specially trained fire arms specialist. It would also be advisable to inform your local police station desk sergeant that you will be training and if they have any queries they will come out, talk to you and see what you are doing and leave you to get on with it.
It is important to note that the authorities are not interested in weapons that are deactivated if they are used in a lawful manner and within the parameters of the law, if they are misused then expect to feel the full force of the law. So be warned one and all; the law must be respected at all times. Q: I would like to obtain a bolt action rifle to fire blanks for reenacting purposes. How do I go about this?R: In regards to live firing bolt action rifles, one must apply to the PSNI Firearms and Explosives Branch (FEB) room 46, Lisnasharragh, 42 Montgomery road, Belfast BT6 9LD, Co. Down, Northern Ireland using form 30/1 - an application for a firearm certificate. You must fill in all relevant details and specify reasons for requesting the weapon and obtain character references from two people not relatives. You will not be issued permission to fire live rounds at this calibre, but will be permitted to fire blanks if granted a firearms certificate. However there are exceptions to this if good reasons are given, e.g. hunting deer.
All live weapons must be locked safely in a gun safe which must be out of the gaze of the public locked at all times and firmly bolted to a solid floor or solid brick wall to ensure security of the weapons from theft. All blank rounds - and you may also only be permitted to hold a specified amount - must be held safely.
Blank firing weapons are legal, however the possession of the blanks that go into these is not without a certificate of authority from the police to hold these, therefore it is illegal to discharge these weapons without proper authority.More information is provided by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. If in doubt about any laws, contact a local police station and speak to the firearms officer.
Penalties for misuse of live or deactivated firearms
By now, most people are aware of the events of the past history in the North of Ireland and that significant custodial sentences were administered to those that were found in violation of the gun laws in this state. There are thirty years of examples to study and learn from. If you break the law, you will be subject to prosecution. If you decide to abide by the law, you will be able to enjoy your reenactment and the hobby will flourish. Remember you are a guardian of this hobby and it is entrusted upon you to ensure that you safeguard it and not to do anything to damage or harm its reputation or the hobby for other reenactors.Respect the law and respect others, both the public and reenactors at all times.
Road rules
All vehicles using the public highway must be deemed and certified to be as follows:
(1) roadworthy - they must hold an Ministry of Transport certificate
(2) they must be insured
(3) if under 25 years old, they must have a valid tax disc
(4) they must be driven by a properly licensed driver, who must be insured
(5) if used solely for off road purposes, a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) declaration must be properly completed and submitted to the
DVLANI (Department of Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland), informing the department that the vehicle is not
used on the Northern Ireland road infrastructure.
As always, when you're in a foreign country for a reenactment, listen to the natives and follow their advice. And do not draw unnecessary attention to yourself and follow common sense.
© 2007 by bee • mailto: webmaster(at)ww2reenactment.info