Airsoft on A Channel News

[Capt. Tyco]

Just watching the news out here in Victoria. They covered a story about how the police responded to a replica gun call and then went on to say that these "replicas" are readily available on the internet. The example they showed was 007.

[HaZarD SFD]

Ah shit! Post that bastards name that got busted so we all have a chance
to hoof him in the nutz

[thephenom]

I think I like the Global news sector more. lol

[Krieg]

Global 1:1 Airsoft on A Channel News

[Lakonian]

Wait, was he firing the gun in public, or was it just exposed (visible through car/home window, etc..) ? Fuck, either way it sucks.

[Roguer]

im up for hoofing the guy in the nuts. but i guess there has to be a balance or something?

[Savage Haggis]

I just caught that A-Channel blurb myself!

Something to the effect of, "...police wasting valuable time and money in attempting to keep track of replicas... blah-blah-blah." with the news caster/unknown hands slapping the mag in a TM Desert Eagle/different shot/holding and aiming a couple of Armalites.

I'll be glued to the news at 11:00!

EDIT: 11:12 PM

Appears as though they're (media wise) attempting to spin the incident as "tax payer money concern" vs criminal element angle. The "replica" they confiscated at the begining of the story belonged to a "known street person", "who led them to the replica upon his arrest." I must admit I found the comments by the Police Inspector to be shallow and uninformed i.e. "Ask any police officer, no. Ask any police officer's wife, and they'll tell you there should be a ban on these things." The story leaned toward the burdon of police response to "gun calls" and the money involved in a small local force vs. perceived day to day crime fighting.

There was no mention of 007 in this version of the story that I can recall.

They made no mention of the sport, the responsibilities and care that professional, respectful and law abiding airsoft player undertake. Nor did they mention Canadian Tire and their selling of "clear soft" guns, nor the irresponsible actions of persons who may purchase these types of cheap junk and end up waving them around to look cool and bling.

Over all, I feel, their (A-Channel) story will blow over in a few days, as I found it biased and not really an informative piece of jurnalism in my opinion.

Remains to be seen.

[Luckyorwhat]

The forum gods have made it quite clear, there is no threat to airsoft, there never will be, and discussing it here is NOT allowed. Nor is any sort of activism like writing letters or such.

So Forget you ever saw that news story, and tow the freaking line.

[Goldman]

Originally Posted by Luckyorwhat

The forum gods have made it quite clear, there is no threat to airsoft, there never will be, and discussing it here is NOT allowed. Nor is any sort of activism like writing letters or such.

So Forget you ever saw that news story, and tow the freaking line.

(damn those moderators are so stupid)

Uhh Dude, there are a number of threads about the letter writing campaign and the options paper kicking around.

Discussion is not "not allowed", but screaming the sky is falling certainly is.

[Savage Haggis]

Originally Posted by Goldman

Uhh Dude, there are a number of threads about the letter writing campaign and the options paper kicking around.

Discussion is not "not allowed", but screaming the sky is falling certainly is.

Amen... and thank you, Goldman.

[Luckyorwhat]

Half a dozen deleted threads by moderators, each time saying, "There is not threat, and activism has already been tried." speak otherwise, and those are just threads I participated in before being disgusted with the moderators' attitudes.

Picture it, about 10 people in a new thread agree that a letter-writing campaign is something they'd like to do. And then the moderators delete the thread and tell everyone to fuck off! A couple weeks later, another thread where people try to decide on what they'd consider to be the main priorities in defending airsoft, and just when they're getting things flushed out, BOOM, moderators show up and tell everyone it's 'been tried before' and 'is not necessary because there is no threat to airsoft'. And complaints to the forum owner go unanswered.

It's not really forgivable, especially if they don't apologize. And best of all, it's too late to change, because back when there 'was no threat' was the time when we should have been organizing - but were specifically and expressly forbidden from doing so on this forum.

Until they officially announce they've changed their policies, anything else is an exception to the rule. If I'm a little suspicious and slow to believe them, maybe that has something to do with them deleting every thread that suggested activism!!!



Here's another piece illustrating that there's no threat to airsoft:

Realistic replica guns readily available

Judith Lavoie
Times Colonist

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Language of the online advertisements is caressing and persuasive, describing models as sleek, finely detailed or rugged.

Replica weapons sold in Canada are supposedly used for target practice or paintball. But Victoria police, along with other police departments, regularly faces realistic fake guns on the street and have to make split-second decisions on how to react to someone who could be toting a toy or a weapon capable of killing.

Police are confiscating at least one fake weapon a week and fear it is only a matter of time before someone dies.

There's no difficulty in getting hold of anything from a fake grenade launcher (complete with plastic tipped "grenades") to a vicious-appearing assault rifle.

The guns are available online, usually with a caution that they cannot be sold to anyone under 18, and also at local chain stores and sports stores.

Realism of appearance is paramount, and performance is judged on similarity to real weapons, according to online advertisements for the replica guns.

"Large guns -- reach out and smack someone," says one.

"If you are serious about sniper warfare, there's no better weapon."

"The weapon also produces a satisfactory crack when fired."

A Wal-Mart Canada spokesman said the company will review its policies, following pleas by Victoria police for replica weapons to be kept off the streets.

"We will certainly take a look at it. We do try and be extremely sensitive to these issues of violence, especially when a local issue is brought to our attention," said Andrew Pelletier, Wal-Mart Canada vice president of corporate affairs.

No complaints have been received from Victoria, he said.

"But we will review it and, if it's appropriate to make an adjustment, we will make an adjustment."

Canadian Tire spokesmen could not be contacted yesterday.

Island Outfitters is one local sports store selling realistic-looking pellet guns.

"People buy them for targets," said cashier Chelsea Brown. "It's mostly younger guys that buy them, and usually parents come in with the kids."

Purchasers are warned to wear protective eyewear and not to carry the guns in public, Brown said.

Neil Boyd, a criminology professor at Simon Fraser University, said young men appear to be carrying the weapons because they can be intimidating without the inherent risks of carrying a real weapon.

"It's a macho reference point. It allows them to play a certain role."

Unless someone belongs to a target-shooting club, there appears to be little reason for replica weapons to be carried in urban areas, Boyd said.

If replica guns are used during commission of a crime, they are treated by the courts in the same way as a real weapon. If someone is directly threatening he can be charged with uttering threats, said Victoria police Insp. Les Sylven.

However, simply carrying a replica gun is not illegal.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has twice called for the manufacture, sale and possession of replica guns to be prohibited and the Canada Safety Council has asked the federal government to bring fake weapons and pellet guns under the Hazardous Products Act.

jlavoie@tc.canwest.com

[Brian McIlmoyle]

to the activity of using mostly harmless weapon simulators to shoot at your friends in an area designated for that use, or on private property where you can't be easily observed.

There is no current threat to the legal ownership of Replicas by Individuals.

There is.. and always will be a threat to the trade in Imitation Firearms that could be classified as replicas.

Airsoft does not need saving..

Anyone who talks about "saving airsoft" needs to review the laws and issues surrounding it.

The reason that any talk of activism is quashed is because activism is likely only to reduce the likelyhood that the classification of airsoft guns will remain unclear.
Right now.. as is evidenced by the spate of local and not so local police reporting of the issues of Replica guns.. the police still consider these incidents to be an improper use of a toy that could result in a tragedy.

Most municipalites already have pellet and bb gun bans in place, in that it is illegal to discharge them inside town/city limits.

There are already lots of laws in place to deal with abusers, both at the municiple, Provincial and federal level.

The one thing that we do need to keep an eye out for is a move to definitivly classify specific makes , models and types of airsoft guns as replicas therby elimitating the trade in them except between licensed businesses.

As individual owners and users of airsoft guns the current laws are more than sufficient to protect our legal right to own them.. and to punish abusers.
There is no reason to believe that there would be any desire on the part of the federal government to relax these laws. Poking at this won't make it better.

[Jayhad]

I'm with Lucky on this one, I hate having the future of my sport in the hands of ostriches with their heads in the sand

[Jayhad]

Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle

There is no current threat to the legal ownership of Replicas by Individuals.

Airsoft does not need saving..

Anyone who talks about "saving airsoft" needs to review the laws and issues surrounding it.

You don't find this a little dishearting:
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has twice called for the manufacture, sale and possession of replica guns to be prohibited and the Canada Safety Council has asked the federal government to bring fake weapons and pellet guns under the Hazardous Products Act.
I think they have a lot more power then we, as a community, have in regards to making policy changes and it.
But airsoft is ok............sure

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by Jayhad

You don't find this a little dishearting:
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has twice called for the manufacture, sale and possession of replica guns to be prohibited and the Canada Safety Council has asked the federal government to bring fake weapons and pellet guns under the Hazardous Products Act.
I think they have a lot more power then we, as a community, have in regards to making policy changes and it.
But airsoft is ok............sure

This is true... but just what do you think can be done about it?

Do you think that a letter writing blitz by a fractured community stating basically " don't make them illegal we like to shoot each other with them"
is going to hold much water?

What we should be doing as a community is lobbying for the existing laws to be properly enforced with respect to abuse of the items. We as a community have to illustrate that we have zero tolerance for abuse.. and are advocates for strong enforcement of existing laws.

look at the most recent cases... both clear abuses of these items... in both cases no charges.. guns confiscated..

Then they blame the guns as being the problem...

It is again an example of failure to enforce the law as it exists and trying to solve the problem by making more laws.

If these guys got busted.. tossed in the can and charged with weapons offenses like they should have been then others may take note and realize that these things are not toys..
And maybe there would be fewer instances of abuse.