Hawaii Residents Now Allowed To Carry Battle Axes In Public After Supreme Court Strikes Down Gun-Control Measures

Hawaii has radically expanded the types of weapons that we are allowed to be displayed in public.

This shift comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling, known as the Bruen decision, which affirmed the right of Americans to carry firearms in public for self-defense. The ruling dramatically altered gun laws across the nation, particularly in Hawaii, which previously enforced some of the strictest regulations. The state has one of the lowest gun violence rates in the country.

In light of this ruling, state lawmakers passed new legislation this year that allows for the open carry of dangerous weapons, a departure from previous restrictions that often led to immediate arrest for those found armed. While this legal change has provided opportunities for individuals to explore cultural connections through the use of traditional weaponry, experts believe it is likely to increase the chance of violence.

The Hawaii Attorney General’s office has clarified that the new law does not permit unrestricted carrying of weapons in public. “The idea that one can carry weapons freely is not accurate,” the office stated, and emphasized that numerous laws and regulations still govern weapon possession and use.

It remains a misdemeanor to carry weapons concealed, and penalties have been heightened for those who carry weapons in criminal activities. Additionally, it is illegal to display weapons in a way that threatens or intimidates others.

Andrew Roberts, a resident of Waikiki and the director of the Hawaii Firearms Coalition, has capitalized on the new law and started to take evening walks with his battle-axe, a 15th-century-style European halberd. A self-described “true believer in the Second Amendment,” Roberts uses his walks with the halberd to raise awareness about local gun laws and to engage with law enforcement. Though he is often stopped, he uses the opportunity to explain Hawaii’s new law.

Recently, Roberts gathered with fellow coalition members in Kapiolani Park, where attendees displayed various historical weapons with cultural backgrounds, such as samurai swords and a butterfly knife from the Philippines. One participant even donned a red kilt with a wooden Scottish sword at his side. As they marched along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, most residents seemed unbothered by the sight of the armed group.