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  • French Authorities confiscate Toddlers' plastic swords

    Toddlers' plastic swords seized


    Twins Olivia and Eva Ryan had their swords confiscated
    Two-year-old twins from the UK had their plastic toy swords seized at a French airport, say their parents.
    Olivia and Eva Ryan, from Luton, Beds, were waiting with their parents to check in at Charles de Gaulle Airport after a trip to EuroDisney.

    The children's father, Peter Ryan, said French officials classed the swords as replica weapons.

    He said the family tried to stress they went with Peter Pan outfits and would be difficult to replace.

    Mr Ryan told the BBC: "When the swords were taken away the children burst into tears.


    The twins and their parents were returning from Disneyland

    "She (my partner) was absolutely furious.

    "But I tended to let it go because I do work at airports and thought 'we'll get two swords when we get home'.

    "We get through customs, and you've got a gift shop selling large die-cast metal 11in Eiffel Tower spikes."

    Mr Ryan said he understood the need for security, but felt these officials went too far.

    "I think it was a little bit of an over-reaction to these toy swords, and an under-reaction to the Eiffel Towers and the bottles of alcohol available after the check-in, " he said.

    A spokesman for Charles De Gaulle Airport refused to comment on the incident.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/b...ts/3879495.stm

  • #2
    They should have put them in checked baggage. Could have guns in checked baggage.
    No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
    I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
    even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
    He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

    Comment


    • #3
      Another example of the freedom the french government<spit> affords the people. No jokes about being paranoid of an invasion...it'd be too easy in this case.

      Comment


      • #4
        While it was a trifle weird that plastic swords were confiscated, that hardly an infingement on freedom or human dignity. It is understandable that the Americans cannot stand the French, but one needn't go overboard that everything the French do is wrong (though in this case, it was silly).

        Many don't appreciate the fingerprinting and photographing of those entering the US. Indeed, that is hardly freedom of individual privacy. Yet, it is required by the US in its own wisdom. That it is an infringement of that there is no doubt as the American felt who went through the same ordeal in Brazil

        Yet, for those who value human dignity and individual freedom more than anything else including being fringerprinted and photographed, they need not go to the US. If one has to go to the US, then you has to obey the US laws! It's that simple.

        Best thing would have been is to put the swords in the checked luggage or not go to France!

        Paranoia about an invasion has become contagious! ;)


        "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

        I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

        HAKUNA MATATA

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Ray
          or not go to France!
          Or buy their own airplane. Rules are rules, I'd rather see some stupid parents get their kids toys taken away than some airport screener lose his job. Or worse have some terrorist use children's toys to hijack a plane full of innocents.

          Personally I don't have any problem with tighter security at airports. Use a little common sence when packing, and get to the airport a couple hours early, no worries.
          No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
          I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
          even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
          He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

          Comment


          • #6
            But see that is the whole point. Plastic toy swords are banned, but you can bring glass wine bottles or Eiffel tower replicas onto a plane. Which one is the greater security risk?

            Or worse have some terrorist use children's toys to hijack a plane full of innocents.
            And I can't see how even in the worst case scenario a toy sword is going to be used by a terrorist to hijack a plane. Whats he gonna do, poke people in the eyes with it?

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Aryan
              But see that is the whole point. Plastic toy swords are banned, but you can bring glass wine bottles or Eiffel tower replicas onto a plane. Which one is the greater security risk?
              I'm not worried about people with clubs. If the swords had been purchased at the duty free shops there is a fair chance they would have been allowed onboard. Hard to modify something into an effective weapon, that was just purchased a few minutes before.
              Originally posted by Aryan
              And I can't see how even in the worst case scenario a toy sword is going to be used by a terrorist to hijack a plane. Whats he gonna do, poke people in the eyes with it?
              Worst case scenario? I love these! Ok, the plastic toy sword only looks like a toy, it's actually a real weapon. I think the screeners should take anything they find suspect. I'm sure these people had the option to put them in checked luggage, or to mail them to their homes. These people are just putting up a stink to be jerks.
              No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
              I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
              even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
              He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

              Comment


              • #8
                I'm not worried about people with clubs. If the swords had been purchased at the duty free shops there is a fair chance they would have been allowed onboard. Hard to modify something into an effective weapon, that was just purchased a few minutes before.
                That might be true in some cases, but not all. You could pretty easily buy a wine bottle, and break of the base of it. THere you go, you've got a weapon at least as effective as a knife.

                Worst case scenario? I love these! Ok, the plastic toy sword only looks like a toy, it's actually a real weapon. I think the screeners should take anything they find suspect. I'm sure these people had the option to put them in checked luggage, or to mail them to their homes. These people are just putting up a stink to be jerks
                Oh I agree with that. People with scissors, swiss army knives etc should keep them in baggage, I've got a friend who works a Manchester airport, he was telling the sheer numbers of scissors alone they've had to confiscate. They have amnesty points in Manchester, so people can drop off anything before going through customs.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Aryan
                  That might be true in some cases, but not all. You could pretty easily buy a wine bottle, and break of the base of it. THere you go, you've got a weapon at least as effective as a knife.
                  Bottles are really 1 use weapons. Much better for using against the terrorists. I've seen a great deal of damage done to a person with a plastic writing pen or brush handle, but they can't keep everything out. I don't even think a knife would be good enough to hijack a plane anymore, truthfully.
                  No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
                  I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
                  even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
                  He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Lunatock
                    Another example of the freedom the french government<spit> affords the people. No jokes about being paranoid of an invasion...it'd be too easy in this case.
                    France the Evil Empire.Have you ever seen French women?
                    What a feast for your eyes,man! I have not seen fat french woman ever.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Honey trap is the most potent weapon!

                      One can land in a Bodybag!


                      "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

                      I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

                      HAKUNA MATATA

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        People have hijacked with toy pistols.

                        I go along with Confed.


                        "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

                        I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

                        HAKUNA MATATA

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Ray
                          People have hijacked with toy pistols.

                          I go along with Confed.
                          A replica pistol is one thing, a peter pan sword is another. I don't know about you guys, but I can tell the difference between a real sword and toy sword.

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