So much for free speech in Canada. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has banned CZ858 “Spartan” rifles nationwide—reclassifying them from “restricted” to “prohibited”—apparently because the special-edition rifles have the words “Molon labe” (“Come and take it” in Latin) engraved on the receiver and buttstock, along with a Canadian maple leaf on the pistol grip and handguard, therebel.media reports.
So how does Canada’s federal police force justify its ban? Under Canadian federal law, the ordinary (non-marked) CZ 858 Tactical-2P rifle is legal. However, the RCMP says the “Spartan” version of this rifle is somehow different because “Molon labe” and other markings are not present on the original rifle, meaning that the firearms banned are “CZ858 Tactical-2P Spartan Limited Edition Proofed 2007 Or Later” rifles, which are not specifically listed as legal, canadianfirearmsblog.ca reports.
In addition to firearms, maybe Canada should issue a list of “allowed” words, phrases and ideas, too.
