IT is a towering angel of metal made from more than 100,000 knives which was created to serve as a monument to those who have suffered through acts of violence.
Now the creators of the 'Knife Angel' want to bring the sculpture to Scotland to complete its pilgrimage around the UK.
The 27ft tall statue was by artist Alfie Bradley at the British Ironworks Centre, and unveiled in 2017 as a "monument against violence and aggression".
Originally intended to sit on the empty fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square, it was deemed too controversial and has been touring the country ever since.
READ MORE: Man seriously injured in ‘unprovoked’ attack by group of men in Glasgow
Made from knives and weapons seized by police or dropped off during 'knife amnesties' - including 7,000 from Scotland - it has been used as an educational tool by police about the dangers of knife crime and to serve as a memorial.
Clive Knowles, Chairman of the British Ironworks Centre, said that the idea of the Angel came about amid growing alarm at the level of knife crime in London and violence across the UK in general, and is looking for support in bringing the sculpture to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Originally sited outside Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral, it was first moved to the Queen's Gardens in Hull and most recently occupied a spot outside Coventry Cathedral.
Mr Knowles said: "For it not to come to Scotland when it has visited every other part of the UK would be a travesty because so many of the blades handed in during knife amnesties have gone into the monument.
"It is a statue for the whole of the UK and does not represent one place or time - And it is not just about knife crime, but about all sorts of violence.
"We hope it delivers a message of peace and helps people understand and realise what is going on the in the UK."
He added: “In other cities it has been a powerful symbol of the fight against knife crime. Wherever it has been installed, cities have taken the opportunity to have it at the centre of a campaign against violence, running knife amnesties and workshops with youngsters.
“Typically, it spends 28 days in a location before moving on. It’s a real opportunity to do something impactive.
READ MORE: Glasgow nightclub Kushion withdraws 4am licence application
The Bishop of Coventry, Rt Rev Dr Christopher Cocksworth, previously said the Knife Angel was "a stark reminder of a form of violent crime infecting our city and threatening lives with great danger, especially our young people".
Mr Knowles said that efforts to bring the statue to Glasgow have so far been met with silence, and is hoping that public pressure can play a part.
However, a spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “We can’t find any record of the owners having contacted us.”
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel