Скачать или смотреть Hawaii loosens strict weapons laws after U.S. Supreme Court ruling

Hawaii's tourist hotspot of Waikiki is known for bikinis, shopping and surfboards. But resident Andrew Roberts has recently introduced a different item on evening walks through his neighborhood: a battle-axe on a long pole.

Roberts, director of the Hawaii Firearms Coalition, has been taking the 15th-century-style European halberd on his strolls since May. That's when Hawaii loosened its weapons laws in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense.

The so-called Bruen decision upended gun laws nationwide, but especially in Hawaii, which has long had some of the country's toughest restrictions — and some of the lowest rates of gun violence.

A subsequent federal appeals court ruling applied Bruen to the state’s ban on butterfly knives and found it unconstitutional. While that case and others related to Hawaii's weapons laws continue to be litigated, lawmakers responded this year by passing a measure that generally allows deadly or dangerous weapons to be openly carried in public. Previously, anyone found armed with them was subject to immediate arrest.

The new law is providing opportunities for some residents to connect with Native Hawaiian or other cultures through traditional weapons, while also generating concern that as the display of weapons becomes more common, people will be more likely to use them.

Roberts called himself a “true believer in the Second Amendment” and said his walks with the halberd or with a shorter battle-axe help promote awareness of the laws and ensure police don’t give him a hard time about being armed with unusual weapons.

“I get stopped probably two or three times on an average evening walk and just have a conversation about what gun laws are in Hawaii and what the weapons laws are,” he said.

On a recent Saturday morning, a halberd-toting Roberts gathered with other Hawaii Firearms Coalition members in Waikiki’s sprawling Kapiolani Park. A few carried samurai swords. One had a butterfly knife — also known as a balisong, prominent in martial arts in the Philippines, where many Hawaii residents have roots. A wooden, Scottish sword dangled from the waist of a man in a red kilt.

They chatted with Honolulu police officers who got wind of their plans to march through Waikiki in celebration of the law. Roberts told one he got his halberd blade on Amazon for $56.

With officers escorting them, they took a stroll along Waikiki’s main oceanfront drag, Kalakaua Avenue. Some tourists did double takes, but many seemed unfazed by the gaggle of armed men bearing a large U.S. flag.

In a written statement, the Hawaii attorney general's office stressed that the new law didn't create a free-for-all when it comes to carrying weapons in public.

“The notion that you can just carry weapons however and wherever you want is simply not correct,” it said. “There are numerous existing laws and regulations that govern the use and possession of weapons in many respects. All of these laws will continue to be enforced.”

It remains a misdemeanor to carry the weapons in a concealed fashion, and the law increased the penalties for carrying them while committing a crime. It's also illegal to carry a weapon in a way that threatens harm or terrorizes other people.

Michael Rice carried a wooden spear his uncle made from koa wood on his hourlong bus ride to the Waikiki gathering. Studying traditional weaponry has helped him connect to his Native Hawaiian roots.

"Everybody think, 'oh, Hawaiian hula skirts, you know, hula dancing poi.' No, we were warriors too," Rice said.