Weapons Policy

If it's illegal outside the convention, it's illegal inside the convention.

For the safety of all con attendees, the following policy towards such items will be strictly enforced. Costumers are expected to read and comply to it completely. Failure to do so will result in warnings and potentially loss of convention membership.

Please note that certain exemptions to rules 4, 5, or 8 may be considered for the purpose of the Costume Masquerade ONLY. If you wish to submit a weapon or routine for special consideration, please consult with the Masquerade Director prior to the masquerade registration deadline. 

1.     NO live firearms. Removal of firing pin or bolt does not negate this rule! Airsoft guns are also considered live firearms and are not acceptable.

2.     NO prohibited weapons (as defined by applicable Canadian Laws). Examples include (but are not limited to):

• Balisong ("butterfly knife") or switchblade/dropblade style knives.
• Nunchucks, tonfas, shurikens, or similarly restricted martial arts weapons which are illegal under the law (foam models of these items are permitted).
• Law enforcement items such as batons, tazers or mace. 

3.     NO replicas of contemporary firearms (i.e. beginning from the era of revolvers - U.S. Civil War forward to any currently manufactured firearms).

4.     All weapons must be holstered, sheathed or slung in an approved fashion.

5.     Weapons will not be drawn or displayed outside of convention function space (except in the privacy of a hotel room), or in any public or crowded area except for specific photo ops areas.

6.     Due and full consideration must be given to physical safety and peace of mind of other persons at all times. This includes the general public and venue staff, not just other convention attendees.

7.     All weapons or large props must be checked and authorized by the Weapons Masters at the Weapons Registration tables on arrival. Upon approval, the weapon(s) and your convention badge will be marked accordingly. It is strictly forbidden to tamper with the mark on either your badge or your weapon.

8.     Any weapons which fail to meet the safety criteria of the Weapons Masters must be immediately (and discreetly) returned to storage (e.g.: your hotel room or vehicle) for the duration of the convention or be checked by the Weapons Master. Please note it is your responsibility to pick up your checked weapons. Any props or weapons left with the Weapons Master beyond the close of registration Sunday become the property of Otakuthon.

9.     Convention staff reserve the right to inspect weapons, peace bond and convention badge markings at any time. Any signs of tampering will be referred to the Weapons Master for confirmation of authenticity and possible confiscation.

10.   Horseplay (of any kind, whether participants are consenting parties or not) with weapons will not be tolerated. All persons involved may be penalized depending upon the nature of the severity of the offense. All complaints of behavior of this nature will be dealt with immediately by Otakuthon.

11.   Failure to adhere to any of the above rules will result in any or all of the following penalties being swiftly enforced:

• Immediate loss of the privilege to carry weapons.
• Confiscation of the weapon without possibility of return.
• Expulsion from the convention without refund.
• Any act of gross negligence or public endangerment may result in criminal charges beyond the control of Otakuthon (please remember that the general public may have no idea that the convention is in progress and may react in the extreme if they feel threatened).

The decision of the Weapons Master and Otakuthon coordinators are final and will be strictly enforced to ensure a safe environment for all convention attendees.

Clarifications

We receive many questions regarding specific types of weapons. This section will hopefully clarify some of those questions**:

Guns:

• Actual live fire arms are not permitted under any circumstance!
• Airsoft, paintball and BB guns are not permitted under any circumstance!
• Nerf guns will be permitted as long as darts are not on your person and are not being fired on convention grounds.
• Plastic cap guns are permitted along with water guns and other toy guns. However, it is not permitted to fire any liquid or use caps on convention grounds.

Metal:

• Edged weapons are NOT permitted under any circumstance!
• Blunted metal weapons MAY be permitted at the discretion of the Weapons Master and the second in command on a case-by-case basis.
• Weapons that have metal used in their making will be only permitted by the Weapons Master or qualified staff that can approve this type of weapon (case-by-case basis).

Wood:

• Wooden weapons will be permitted as long as they follow the weapons policy.
• Please try to keep the weapons light and easy to manage to avoid hurting people by mistake.
• Bokkens will be permitted.

Plastic:

• Plastic weapons will be permitted in most cases as long as they follow the weapons policy.
• Weapons should be kept light and easy to manage to avoid accidentally hurting people.

**NOTE: Even if a weapon meets the criteria of this section, it may still be rejected if it does not respect the weapons policy. Please contact the Weapons Master if you have any questions or doubts about your weapon.

If you have any questions, please contact the Otakuthon Weapons Master (weapons@otakuthon.com). While the Weapons Master may offer advice on which weapons are appropriate, we reserve the right to reclassify any weapons regardless of any information given prior to the convention.

Otakuthon reserves the right to confiscate any weapons for the duration of the convention or to escort you outside the convention area and forbid you to return with the weapon. Aggravated or repeated failure to obey the above policy may result in expulsion from the convention without refund.