Hi,
I am (Non-EU) PhD student in Amsterdam and I was returning from work when I was stopped for a routine Guns, Knives police control while entering a metro station. I told them that I had a swiss knife (actually a leatherman wingman multi tool) in my backpack, which I use at work. The police decided that it was still easily accessible and that I would have to pay a fine and the multitool confiscated, since there is now a city wide Knife ban ?
I am now to wait for a letter from the Justice department which will decide what my fine would be.
How serious is this offence specially since its is a multitool ? How much is the fine generally ?
The police officer said he would mention that I was co-operative in his report and that it is a multitool. I was given a receipt(which had a waiver that I am giving up the multitool) and something else with my information on it, a citation I guess ?
This has upset me specially since I was not told what the fine could be nor how serious an offence this can be with respect to future work or even applying for visas to other countries.
Date: March 8th, 2013
Amsterdam, Laws and Knife ban ?
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I've replied to your post under NorCalif's original topic.
The "offense" officially is a breach of the Amsterdam local rules, article 2.5, part 1. Such a breach could theoretically result in imprisonment for up to 3 months or a fine of the second category (max € 3.900) - see article 6.1 in the Amsterdam local rules.
However, since you did not show this "weapon" (ahum) in the open nor could it be described as anything but a worker's tool, I would be surprised if you heard anything from it at all. If you do, contact a legal-aid center because this is a pretty ridiculous situation.
To put things in perspective: in a well-known case, a sushi-chef dropped a pretty large knife from a backpack during a streetfight. The guy did not have an intention to use it, but police spotted him with one of the knives in his hands. No charges where pressed by his opponent (who fled the scene). The sushi-chef was fined €250 and the knife was returned to him.
This should not in any way haunt you when applying for work or visas.
Oh yeah, I'ld like to add: the reasons for this local rule are pretty obvious I guess. There is an increase in armed robberies since 2010 or so and the mayor (van der Laan) wants to show he is not a softy like his predecessor (who was known to "go out and share a cup of tea with 'somewhat' criminal groups").
Now, the local rule I'm referring to was introduced in 2012 by "BM decision number 41" (a mayor's decree). It says that it is forbidden (in certain areas) to carry knifes and other objects that can be used as a pointed weapon unless they are packed in such a way that they are not readily available for use. In your case (you carried it in the backpack!) one could argue you did not have this "weapon" readily available for use.