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Armageddon bans replica weapons and military-style clothing

Dan O'Connor
rsz armageddon1
Sormtroopers at a previous Christchurch Armageddon.  Beyond Reality Media (supplied)

Mosque attacks prompt event organisers to enforce new rules and tighter restrictions on props and imitation weapons

The Armageddon expo will be a celebration of comics, animation and cosplay, but this year fans will have to leave their imitation swords and guns at home. Military-style clothing has also been banished from the event.

Armageddon runs over three days from June 1 to 3 at Horncastle Arena.

Event communications manager Courtney Collins said the response had been mostly positive.

"We received some negative feedback, but most people understood the reasons why we made the change," Collins said.

"We just want to have an event that is safe and enjoyable for everyone attending." 

Kirsty Everett from Comics Compulsion said everyone attending should feel safe.

"Armageddon is a place where you can be yourself and everyone needs to feel comfortable."

Pop culture enthusiast Damian Lim said some of the policy was common sense but disagreed with the restrictions on military clothing.

"It means it restricts costumes. If someone wanted to do bad things, banning military clothing will not prevent anything."

Lim said that law-abiding people would follow the rules, while criminals would not.

"Bans don't work on criminals or people with bad intentions."

Cosplayer Duncan McIntyre said the policy was a good idea.

"I understand the good and the bad about the policy but after [the shooting] and the aftermath I think it's a good idea."

McIntyre will be attending Armageddon and cosplaying a character from a YouTube series named Chad.

Event staff will undergo new training to ensure all props are checked correctly and meet the new guidelines. The new rules will be reviewed at the end of the year.

You can view Armageddon's weapons and props policy here.

Christchurch's Armageddon event info can be found here.