New York Court Declares Nunchaku Ban Unconstitutional After Four Decades

Nunchaku, a martial arts weapon, has been banned in New York State since 1974, over forty years ago. However, a federal court in the state has now ruled that this ban contradicts the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. More than four decades ago, New York state officials prohibited its use out of fear that young people, influenced by martial arts films, would use the weapon to commit violence and assault others. According to the Associated Press, last week, Judge Pamela Chen in the Brooklyn federal court ruled that the ban on this martial arts tool is in conflict with the Second Amendment, which protects citizens' right to bear arms. The plaintiff in the case that led to this ruling, James Maloney, was convicted in 2000 for possessing nunchaku in his home and filed a complaint in this regard in 2003. He pursued all avenues to achieve his desired ruling, taking his case to the Supreme Court, which in 2010 remanded the case for reconsideration based on the Second Amendment. Nunchaku, pronounced correctly as 'nunchaku,' is a cold weapon originating from Okinawa, which gained fame due to its use by Bruce Lee, the martial arts film star.