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| Weapons seized at Leamington Spa Sikh temple 'ceremonial' | Weapons seized at Leamington Spa Sikh temple 'ceremonial' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| All but one of the "bladed weapons" seized after 55 people were arrested at a protest at a Sikh temple were ceremonial, police said. | All but one of the "bladed weapons" seized after 55 people were arrested at a protest at a Sikh temple were ceremonial, police said. |
| Armed officers surrounded the Gurdwara Temple in Leamington Spa after reports men entered the building in a row over inter-faith marriages. | Armed officers surrounded the Gurdwara Temple in Leamington Spa after reports men entered the building in a row over inter-faith marriages. |
| The Sikh Federation pressure group said the Sikh community had concluded Warwickshire Police had "overreacted". | The Sikh Federation pressure group said the Sikh community had concluded Warwickshire Police had "overreacted". |
| Officers "assessed the situation and responded accordingly," the force said. | Officers "assessed the situation and responded accordingly," the force said. |
| Read more news for Coventry and Warwickshire | Read more news for Coventry and Warwickshire |
| A statement from Sikh Youth UK said its members were peacefully protesting against an inter-faith marriage that was to be carried out as a Sikh marriage at the temple. | A statement from Sikh Youth UK said its members were peacefully protesting against an inter-faith marriage that was to be carried out as a Sikh marriage at the temple. |
| Ceremonial weapons | Ceremonial weapons |
| People were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and a "significant number of bladed weapons" were seized, Warwickshire police said. | People were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and a "significant number of bladed weapons" were seized, Warwickshire police said. |
| The force later confirmed the majority of these were Kirpans - one of the five physical symbols of faith worn by Sikhs. | The force later confirmed the majority of these were Kirpans - one of the five physical symbols of faith worn by Sikhs. |
| A Warwickshire Police spokesman said it responded to a report a group of masked men, initially thought to be about 20, who had forced their way into the temple. | A Warwickshire Police spokesman said it responded to a report a group of masked men, initially thought to be about 20, who had forced their way into the temple. |
| He said: "These were reported to be carrying a range of bladed items, some of which were initially described as not being for ceremonial use. | He said: "These were reported to be carrying a range of bladed items, some of which were initially described as not being for ceremonial use. |
| "Blades seized so far have been ceremonial. Another non-ceremonial weapon was seized." | "Blades seized so far have been ceremonial. Another non-ceremonial weapon was seized." |
| He said police would be investigating the initial claim that other weapons were involved. | He said police would be investigating the initial claim that other weapons were involved. |
| Last year a resolution saying inter-faith couples could not have a Sikh marriage in Gurdwareh was approved at a meeting called by the Sikh Council UK and represented by 300 Sikh organisations, Sikh Youth UK said. | |
| Sunday's protest was an example of a "rogue Gurdwara committee creating discord among the UK Sikh diaspora" and it described the committee's behaviour as "inexcusable". | Sunday's protest was an example of a "rogue Gurdwara committee creating discord among the UK Sikh diaspora" and it described the committee's behaviour as "inexcusable". |
| Analysis: The Sikh wedding ceremony | |
| The ceremony, or Anand Karaj, should be reserved only for Sikhs, the Sikh Council (UK) argues. | |
| Non-Sikhs can only be involved if they accept the Sikh faith and change their name to include Singh or Kaur. | |
| Anand Karaj was given statutory recognition during the British rule in India by the Anand Marriage Act 1909. | |
| Gurinder Singh Josan, from the Sikh Council, has said if somebody "really passionately wants to have an Anand Karaj they have to accept that the long-established code of conduct for Sikhs clearly states only a Sikh can be wedded by the Anand Karaj". | |
| But many in the Sikh community say Sikhism teaches equality and acceptance. | |
| The Sikh Council hosted a meeting of Sikh representatives from across the UK in August 2015 to discuss solutions. This included drawing up a voluntary "code of conduct" designed to address uncertainties around mixed marriages. | |
| Marrying people of other faiths is acceptable, they said, but marrying them in a Sikh temple is not. | |
| Sikh weddings were regularly disrupted by protesters opposed to mixed-faith marriages in Sikh temples, a BBC Asian Network investigation had previously found. | |
| But this summer there had not been reports of any such protests until Sunday's demonstration, BBC Asian Network reporter Gurvinder Gill said. | |
| The BBC understands the wedding in Leamington Spa took place. | |
| "Most" of those arrested had been released on bail, but some were still being questioned, police said. | "Most" of those arrested had been released on bail, but some were still being questioned, police said. |
| The Sikh Federation is a non-governmental organisation set up to promote the Sikh religion, philosophy and way of life. | |
| Under UK law it is illegal to carry a knife in public without good reason, but a good reason could be if it is for religious purpose. The government information website gives the Kirpan as an example. | |
| If someone gets charged with illegally carrying it, it is down to a court to decide if they were carrying it for a good reason or not under UK law. |