Auckland Police boarded a city bus on Monday after a passenger reported a man carrying a knife.
It turned out to be a Sikh man who was carrying his ceremonial knife – ‘kirpan’, one of the five articles of faith in Sikhism.
The man believed to be in his 20s, carrying a kirpan, traditionally worn by Sikhs, was travelling on the Inner Link service bus when the police boarded the bus and asked the man to take off the kirpan.
The man was polite and cooperative and did as told while no further action was taken.
An unnamed witness told the that police entered the bus with a gun. The witness said, "We looked out the window and we could see and the police car behind us with sirens blaring."
A police spokeswoman said that officers were called after a member of the public reported seeing a kirpan.
She said the armed offenders squad was not sent and the officers were not armed.
"Police spoke with the man, who is a Sikh."
"He was in possession of a ceremonial kirpan, which is customary for Sikhs. The man, who is lawfully living in New Zealand, was polite and cooperative and no further action was taken."
The spokeswoman said the ceremonial kirpan wasn't confiscated.
Indian-origin National MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi has tabled a member's bill - '' in New Zealand Parliament which, if passed, would allow a baptized Sikh person to carry “Kirpan” (ceremonial knives), one of the 5 articles of the Sikh faith, in public places as well as workplaces without this being an offence.
The bill will ensure the kirpan can be no more than 10cm and must be worn under clothing.
It will also require those who wear it also to be wearing the other four articles of faith - kesh (uncut long hair), kanga (a comb), kara (an iron bracelet), and kachehra (under shorts).
