Emotional scenes as grieving mum of murdered teen John McNab speaks at Knife Angel unveiling in Edinburgh
Lisa Petrie paid tribute to her son John under the Knife Angel sculpture
There were emotional scenes on Tuesday afternoon as a large crowd gathered to witness the official unveiling of the Knife Angel sculpture in Leith’s Kirkgate.
Dozens gathered in Leith’s Kirkgate at noon to hear Lisa Petrie speak on the first anniversary of the death of her 22-year-old son, John Mcnab.
The 27ft sculpture, created by artist Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre, is made from 100,000 knives and blades seized by police across the UK.
Its enormous wings, covered in messages of love and remembrance from families who have lost loved ones to knife crime, served as a poignant reminder of the lives behind the statistics.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms Petrie said: “I never thought that I would be standing here in front of a knife angel speaking about my John. A year ago today I had John. He was 22 years old, happy and was loving life.
“I thought I would be worrying about him going to Ibiza, Thailand, worrying about normal things a mum would worry about when it comes to their son. I never imagined I would be standing here because my son had been murdered.”
Ms Petrie added: “And when that knife took John's life, it didn't just take John, it devastated our whole family. I lost my son, I lost my best pal, my dancing partner and the boy that called me ‘mumzy’.
“Before this happened, the Knife Angel would have been something I would have come along to see. I would have looked at it, read the stories, and felt desperately sorry for the families of those behind these knives. I never thought one day I would be one of these mums.”
Holding back tears, she told the crowd: “So I can't stand and say I'm honoured to be here because if I had a choice, I'd have John.”
The emotional speech was at the heart of the ceremony at Kirkgate, located just at the bottom of Leith Walk, where the Knife Angel will stand until September 27.
Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, Council leader Jane Meagher, MSP Ben Macpherson and Police Scotland Chief Inspector Kiran Dougal were also among those attending the ceremony, alongside community representatives.
Council leader Jane Meagher said: “My thanks go to everyone who has made it possible for the Knife Angel to come to Edinburgh. It serves as a powerful reminder of the lives and families affected by violence.”
A programme of events and workshops will take place across Edinburgh throughout September, including school performances of Balisong, a production exploring knife crime among young people and its impact on communities.
Community bleed and trauma kits are also being made available across Edinburgh, supported through fundraising by Lisa and the council, with the aim of helping communities respond to serious injuries.
A book of remembrance will also be available online, allowing people to leave messages in memory of those who have lost their lives to knife crime.