Sheffield campaigners are calling for more support from police to bring the Knife Angel to Sheffield.
The Knife Angel, made of more than 100,000 seized knives, aims to raise awareness for knife crime and its impacts on people and communities.
Hayley Lowe, 27, a Knife Angel campaigner in Sheffield, claimed that Police Crime Commissioner Alan Billings retracted his support to host the sculpture in the city after agreeing to help in a face to face meeting before COVID-19.
Alan Billings
Miss Lowe said: “I‘m very disappointed. He seems to think it doesn’t stop knife crime but that’s not what it’s meant to do. It’s meant to start a conversation. I think he has missed the point.”
Ms Lowe’s eight-year-old cousin, Mylee Billingham was stabbed to death in 2018 by her own father.
Mylee Billingham
She added: “It’s irritating because there’s an article with Alan Billings in it saying how distraught they are about the recent murder of the MP. But he can’t support the Knife Angel, which is trying to battle knife crime.”
The PCC didn’t comment on the allegation when requested.
South Yorkshire Police were the last police force in the country to donate a seized blade to the monument.
Clive Knowles, 59, the national lead for the Knife Angel tour, said: “South Yorkshire weren’t supportive, and I think at the time, communities in Sheffield stepped in and they bridged the gap enabling many more blades and weaponry to be added to the Angel. The police only contributed the bare minimum that they could possibly contribute.”
Clive Knowles
He added: “It was disappointing. It would be a very grave shame if Sheffield wasn’t to benefit from the national anti-violence tour.
“It would also be a travesty if we didn’t continue to help the communities in Sheffield and try our best to ensure that the angel and the educational programme still comes to Sheffield. It doesn’t mean the communities in Sheffield shouldn’t benefit from the national Knife Angel tour only because the police and the council don’t want to support it.”
South Yorkshire Police Media Office responded: “We never made a decision that we wouldn’t contribute (bringing knife angle to Sheffield). Anything that helps raise awareness of knife enabled crime and its consequences can only be a good thing.”
To sign our petition to bring the Knife Angel to Sheffield, click here.
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