Deployment in Schwerin - To real: Police takes Cosplay-followers Samurai-sword away
Two followers of the so-called Cosplay-Scene in Schwerin took their character costumes too far and thus triggered a police intervention. According to the authorities, a witness alerted the police on Thursday evening after discovering an open displayed Japanese long sword on a masked woman. The sword was secured by the officers.
"If it had been a plastic sword, we wouldn't have intervened," said a police spokeswoman. The sword found with the woman's companion was also taken by the Police. Carrying edged weapons in public is not permitted and constitutes a violation of the Weapons Act, it was explained.
Participants of the Cosplay-Scene personify fantasy figures, which often originate from Mangas, the Japanese term for comics. The characters are sometimes borrowed from films and classic fairy tales. The Manga-Comic-Con, which is an annual part of the Leipzig Book Fair, is considered one of the largest scene gatherings worldwide. However, the weapons brought along, which are part of the outfits of individual figures, are props.
In the same city of Schwerin, located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, strict laws regarding weapons ownership apply, even during leisure activities like cosplay events. Despite the woman's companion also carrying a sword, it's important to note that they were both apprehended by the Police for breaking the Weapons Act. The authorities in the region have a zero-tolerance policy towards criminality, including the carrying of real swords in public, regardless of the context, such as cosplay events.
