"If the law disarms attackers...

"...then it can make self defence possible where it would have been impossible if the attacker was armed."

Here's another example of the falsity of that idea:

83-Year-Old Vendor May Have Sold Food To Attacker

Washington (AP) - A vendor outside the Foggy Bottom Metro station believes he's seen the man wanted for beating an elderly woman who also worked as a vendor.

The 83-year-old victim was attacked on 24th Street, Northwest, Tuesday afternoon. The incident was caught on videotape, which has been shown repeatedly on local TV. Vendor Billy Smith saw it - and believes the suspect bought food from him on Tuesday.

D.C. police have sent the grainy video to a lab at the Quantico Marine Base, in the hopes of having the quality improved. But they say they're still getting a number of calls from people with information who want to help.

Police Chief Charles Ramsey says they're looking at whether the victim and the suspect had argued earlier in the day. Ramsey says in the video, it appears the man is chastising the woman.

A disgusted Ramsey says were it up to him, he'd give the attacker a life sentence.

Watch the video. Good thing nobody had a weapon. Someone might've gotten hurt. And those surveillance cameras do a helluva job of crime prevention, don't they?

(The victim is in George Washington Hospital in stable condition, suffering from a broken cheek and nose, and other contusions. She was robbed of about $300.)