UK actor Idris Elba suggests kitchen knives be blunted, others banned to prevent stabbings

Actor Idris Elba announced amid his forthcoming knife crime documentary that the United Kingdom must consider “innovative” prevention methods such as blunting or banning knives.

According to IMDb, the documentary, “explores the reality of knife crime in the UK, meeting offenders, families, youth workers, and police to understand this crime and find solutions, including discussions with Keir Starmer and King Charles.”

The 52-year-old actor spoke with the BBC shortly before the release of his documentary about how to solve knife crime. 

“The truth is that kitchen knives are perhaps 25% of the knives used in most of the terrible crimes. That’s one of the stats in the film. And those kitchen knives are usually a domestic situation,” Elba warned. “So kitchen knives… of course, it’s very difficult. They’re a domestic knife.”

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The U.K.-based actor added further, “I do think there is areas of innovation that we can do with kitchen knives. I hate to say it. Not all kitchen knives need to have a point on them. That sounds like a crazy thing to say, but actually it would reduce- you know, you can still cut your food without the point on your knife, which is an innovative way to sort of look at it,” he said. “In a country in crisis, I’m sorry, but yeah, let’s look at that.”

He went on to suggest that there is a loophole for “heritage knives” that also allows people to have a “ninja sword.”

“So let’s ban them all, and if you have one of those knives, get a license for it,” he suggested of people wanting to keep family heirloom swords. “Simple as that.”

He argued that backing such a licensing program is a “small contribution to society” because the current situation is “leaving these kids vulnerable.”

The Telegraph quoted Elba calling for social media platforms to take responsibility as well.

“When it comes to big tech, there needs to be accountability within their own policies, and their policies need to be educated and driven by what society deems is right or wrong,” he argued. “It’s great that you’re a big company, you make a lot of money, got lots of social media followers, that’s fantastic. But by the way, we don’t like knives, we’re not going to tolerate you advertising knives to young people, please.”

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He concluded, “We don’t like porn, we don’t like this, we don’t like bully dogs, it can be done in a society, and in my opinion, where democracy leads, it takes a village.”

According to The Telegraph, “A ban on the sale of pointed kitchen knives has been backed by the Church of England, judges, top trauma doctors and psychiatrists, the police and victims as they argue that it would make life-threatening injuries far less likely.”

One recent knife crime that put a spotlight on the issue in the UK came when Axel Rudakubana, 18, allegedly stabbed three young girls to death and attempted the murder of eight other children and two adults in July. He was also charged with possessing an al Qaeda training manual and ricin poison.