UK Police confiscate walking stick from retired teacher

From the headquarters of the former British Empire:

They must have known he was a troublemaker the moment they saw him.

With his white hair, wax jacket and glasses, 78-year-old Philip Clarkson Webb clearly ticked all the boxes any eagle-eyed policemen would mark as 'danger'.

And as he shuffled along the pavement towards them there was one thing above all they deemed to pose a threat - his walking stick.

The officers surrounded the retired classics teacher and informed him the 3ft wooden cane was an 'offensive weapon' and had to be confiscated.

Article here. In trained hands, walking sticks can be used as effective weapons in both an offensive and defensive capacity, although this case seems like an overreaction by police. Mr Clarkson Webb, the retiree whose walking stick was confiscated, was reportedly attending a seminar at which there were environmental activists demonstrating, although he reportedly was not one of the activists.