A fan of The Legend of Zelda franchise has been arrested and is facing jail time after he was found carrying a replica of the series' "Master Sword" in public.
The individual in question is Anthony Bray from Nuneaton, which is a municipality in northern Warwickshire, England. He was arrested by law enforcement personnel after he was seen in possession of a 15-centimeter Master Sword replica.
Man Arrested for Carrying Zelda Sword Replica
(Photo : Nintendo / Screenshot taken from official website)
More specifically, Bray was sentenced to four months in prison and was fined nearly $200 for the alleged crime. The main reason for the man's arrest was due to the item in question not being made of Goma Eva and that it had a sharp edge capable of cutting.
The altercation also stems from the fact that the man approached the police officers while holding the replica sword in his hand. He claimed that it was simply something that he bought as a simple fidget to entertain himself and keep his hands busy, according to Softonic.
This is something similar to the spinner but the replica sword was actually sharp enough to cut other things. The situation became that the toy that Bray bought online was actually a weapon that he carried openly in public in downtown Nuneaton.
The law enforcement personnel who interacted with the individual weren't really sure of what was happening and clarified that it was possible to "find toys to hold in your hand that are not fifteen-centimeter blades."
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They also said that it was entirely possible to not walk down the street holding the item in front of your person.
While the statements may seem disproportionate, the truth of the matter is that Bray has been arrested in the past and has been jailed several times for theft. Between the '80s and '90s, the man had spent four years in prison.
The 48-year-old man was arrested after officers were made aware on June 8, 2024, via CCTV that the suspect was holding the sword in his hand while walking in public.
The patrol investigations unit's Sgt. Spellman said that they were taking a zero-tolerance approach to bladed articles in public, said The Guardian.
Perceived as Threatening
Police officers also said that Bray told them that the Master Sword replica that he possessed could be perceived as threatening if someone else had seen it. However, he insisted during interviews that he did not plan to use it as a weapon.
The Master Sword is Link's signature weapon in The Legend of Zelda franchise and is frequently featured in many titles across the series. The franchise was first released in the 1980s and to this day is enjoyed by players across the globe.
The sword in question features a blue and yellow handle and sheath and is capable of vanquishing evil and destroying magical barriers. Bray's arrest also comes as Britain has one of the lowest gun homicide rates in the world as it has some of the strictest gun laws that include comprehensive background checks.
Despite this, the region is still struggling with knife crimes and there are more than 50,000 offenses that involve a sharp instrument recorded by police in the year ending March 2023, according to the Washington Post.
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