How can you practice legal self-defence?

Answer 1

The word "Aikido" literally translates as "the way of peace & harmony".

This form of self-defence was developed in Japan after the Second World War when the Americans banned many Martial Arts.

If you follow up your internet search you should be able to find a club in your area. You will be able to learn to avoid attacks from multiple attackers & how to legally defend yourself. From day one of your training, you will learn 'arrest techniques' & how to turn an attacker's momentum against them.

Alternatively, to practice 'legal self-defence' in England you would need to join the Police or the Prison Service, or, alternatively, you could become a mental nurse (they are required to restrain patients to administer drugs).

Unfortunately, it is not legal for a member of the general public to own or carry a hand-gun in England. (The criminals you might meet - who are intent on breaking the law anyway - may well carry weapons. Martial arts like Aikido - & other forms of Jujitsu - teach you techniques to disarm an attacker with a weapon whether that's a knife, a chain, a bottle, or a pistol.)

It is not illegal in Britain to practise anymartial art. You can practise anything you like, kung fu (Including weapons practice, swords, lances etc), Ninjitsu (swords, throwing weapons et.c), even Kendo or the more gentle martial arts as in Judo. It is not illegal to carry those weapons to and from the Dojo provided that you are licensed and insured with the appropriate martial arts organisation and the item is contained in a suitable locked bag or box and in the boot of a vehicle (i.e. not carried openly on the seat of a car).

It is illegal to carry a martial arts weapons unsheathed in a public area at which point it is deemed a lethal weapon and may be deemed being "carried with intent", or threaten or harm the public with that item.

If you use a martial art to defend yourself you are subject to the assault laws which state that you are only allowed to use minimum force to defend yourself. The Law does not state what minimum force actually is and it would be assessed on a case by case basis.

This means that beating an attacker to a pulp using any form of martial art would more than probably result in legal prceedings taken against you and potentially could result in damages being awarded to the criminal.

So in short you can 'practise' a martial art with licenced instructors on private premises, but legal issues can occur if your implement it in public.