France lays down arms in unlicensed weapons amnesty
STORY: Guns, knives, ammunition and even grenades are among the weapons being surrendered to French police.
It’s part of a campaign to round up unlicensed firearms in the country.
Gun ownership in France is nowhere as prevalent as in countries such as the United States and gun crime is relatively rare.
But France is keen to limit the number of illegally owned firearms.
Authorities estimate there may be as many as 6 million of them.
Three hundred collection points have been set up across France since the start of the campaign on November 25.
Those who bring in weapons will face no penalties.
And can either have them registered or surrender them to the police.
The collected items will either be handed over to museums or destroyed.
Lionel was one of the many surrendering weapons at a police station in Nice.
He said the guns originally belonged to his father.
"I don't really like guns, and since there's a way to get rid of them cleanly, I have to get rid of these souvenirs because I don't really like guns."
By Wednesday (November 30) 65,000 firearms had been turned in.
That’s alongside 1.6 million bullets and other projectiles.
