Sake White

Link

Tim Larkin, the brand name and face of TFT, although only because he started it not because he thinks he is a guru, gets interviewed by BBC One because he ran a live training session in Britain.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall when that happened. The Brit media must have gone insane. Here comes this American former military remember to teach ‘American violence’ *chuckles*. The lack of guns must have really thrown them off, too.

f you’re faced with a machete-wielding gang of thugs and your life is on the line, would you know how to protect yourself?

Would you want to know how to deliver a lethal move in order to save your own life?

These is the core questions behind a controversial seminar taking place in Slough, led by Las Vegas close combat master Tim Larkin.

However, the idea of teaching clients how to potentially maim and kill has led pockets of the Slough community to condemn the workshops.

The former mayor of Slough, Cllr David MacIsaac, told the Slough Observer that Larkin was “not welcome” and that while there are problems with violence in Slough, “it’s hardly downtown LA”.

The main reason for coming to Slough is to do with the training facilities there, at an undisclosed address, rather than an alarming knife-crime rate. The sessions will be held at the end of September 2009.

It has got politics, anti-Americanism, British crime rates, and violence. What more do you need to get interested?

There are a diverse manner of opinions, which I found on the blogosphere incidentally. Take this concerning responsibility. Link

Someone for the training. Link

Another for the training.

Crime rates

The negative news article from the Uk in question. Link

US martial arts killing techniques of special forces spark storm in Hackney
hg.editorial@archant.co.uk
14 August 2009
AN American martial arts expert has sparked fury with his plans to host self-styled “how to kill” self-defence lessons in the borough.

Muscle-bound Tim Larkin teaches lethal, hand-to-hand combat techniques to help people stand up to violent criminals.

Politicians and religious leaders have condemned the instructor for glorifying violence.

Cllr Patrick Vernon, of Queensbridge ward, said Larkin was not welcome in the borough.

He said: “This training simply glorifies violence and is purely a money-making exercise targeting vulnerable people or exacerbating fragile relationships with the gangs and postcode turf wars locally.”

Darell Philip, a communications officer with the Hackney Seventh Day Adventist Church in Haggerston Road, said: “This training provides no solutions to the root cause of violence, but just puts young people’s lives at more risk.

” “Our message was that they should put down the guns and knives and treasure their life and their community. How can this be achieved by promoting combat violence techniques?”

Larkin, from Las Vegas, California, has more than 20 years’ experience training members of the US Navy Seals, FBI and US marshals.

His Target Focus Training teaches people in two days how to kill without weapons.

Defending his controversial techniques, Mr Larkin told the Gazette his moves should be used only in self-defence.

Cllr Alan Laing, Hackney Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods said:

“Mr Larkin is mistaken if he thinks that Hackney residents require his services

Boy, that sounds omniious, doesn’t it.

The Asylum here has a rather humorous take on Tim Larkin’s visit to Slough.

H