When he was arrested, Rowe said, the officer pulled the trowel out of its sheath, and said: “That’s not a garden tool.”

“I said it is, because it was in the Niwaki-branded pouch that you get at garden centres,” Rowe said.

Rowe said police had questioned him on whether he was “planning on doing something” with the tools, and he said he was also asked to explain what an allotment was.

“I had to explain in very basic terms what an allotment is to this guy,” he said. “So it didn’t fill me with a lot of confidence that I was going to be let off.”

Manchester's brightest at work. Experts enough to know what is and isn't a garden tool but don't know what an allotment is 🙄 ACAB

I got age checked to buy a blender in Currys yesterday.

I am 56

We are fucked.

For those who may not know what a Hori Hori is:

To the cops I'm sure they saw:

Several decades ago my dad was pulled over on the way to work and questioned about my sisters toy knitting needle and what he intended to do with it…

The actual tools Niwaki Hori Hori gardening trowel in a canvas sheath, and an Ice Bear Japanese gardener’s sickle.

The Niwaki Hori Hori gardening trowel

And theNiwaki Ice Bear Japanese gardener’s sickle.

The Guardian's photographer had an absolute whale of a time with this article.

Look at those dreamy vegetable garden scenes.

Reminds me of the cops that arrested a legally blind man for having his guide stick (I don’t know the proper terminology) folded up in his back pocket. He was able to see in daylight, but needed it at night. They called it a weapon. This was in the USA.

ACAB.

Why couldn't the cop just:

"Hey, love your music man!"
"Huh? My music?"
"Dude, you totally resemble Robert Smith from The Cure!"

"Ooh hahaha, thanks."
"So, what I actually approached you for, we've had a call that reported a shady looking person carrying a knife in this area. You seem fine, but just double checking because, well, we see weird shit sometimes and don't want to be negligent."
"Aha okay, fair enough. Well these look like knives perhaps but they are actually professional gardening tools. I can show you my masterpiece actually."
[…] after a 20 minute tour in his garden.
"So cool man, should get my ass into nature more too. Sorry for the trouble and thanks for your time and understanding. Have a good one."
"Cheers, see you around."

✍︎ arscyni.cc: modernity ∝ nature.

A timely reminder to never accept a caution (unless you are damn sure you would also plead guilty in court - because that's essentially what you're doing).

UK weapon laws freak my American mind out. You can carry a folding, non-locking knife with a blade of less than 3 inches, without any justification or excuse?! Is violent knife crime a thing over there?

This stupid thing blows my mind. All I see are a bunch of harmless pocket knives.

I know, bag on the American who can carry a gun. LOL, I could carry a sword in public were I so inclined, and I often carry a machete in the woods. Believe it or not, straight to jail.

To practical matters, how do y'all transport kitchen knives, axes and other tools? Serious. And think on this, if you intend harm or self-defense, why not just carry a standard 2lb. hammer?

Also, two of my worst self-inflicted wounds were from non-locking knives, won't touch them any longer.

When he was arrested, Rowe said, the officer pulled the trowel out of its sheath, and said: “That’s not a garden tool.”

[Aussie accent] "That's not a garden tool. This is a garden tool!"