I read that pepper spray was illegal in most of Europe in another thread today, so I looked it up and found this webpage which linked me to this news story of a Danish girl who was prosecuted for possession and use of pepper spray against a rapist.
The 17-year-old, from the coastal town of Sonderborg, was forced to the ground by an English-speaking man who tried to undress her. She was later warned by police that the pepper spray she used on him was illegal for private citizens to possess, and that she would face a £50 fine.I’m genuinely curious to find out what you guys think. In the UK, I think it should definitely be legalised for purposes of self defence, particularly in the current climate in parts of the UK. There’s a full list of which European countries in which you’re allowed pepper spray and which you’re not in the first link.Pepper spray is almost completely banned in the UK. Its ownership, carry and use by common citizens is bannedunder Section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968.
Believe it or not, in the UK pepper spray / CS Gas is considered a firearm and carries the same legal penalties as carrying a gundoes! If you are caught with pepper spray or import it, you will face arrest and a subsequent criminal record. You may even face deportation from the UK.
However, there are so-called “self-defense” spays that are legal in the UK. Often called “criminal identifier” sprays, they do not contain any noxious substances or chemicals and are not designed to injure or cause harm to others. Rather, the sprays are designed to mark an attacker with both a visible and invisible marker dye. The visible dye often takes at least 7 days to come off.