Knife Angel sculpture arrives in Leith to raise awareness of knife crime impact
The sculpture is 27 feet tall and weighing 3.5 tonnes, taking two years to construct
A 27ft sculpture made from thousands of knives has arrived in Leith with the hope its powerful message will encourage people to move away from knife crime.
The Knife Angel has been installed at the Kirkgate at the bottom of Leith Walk, where it will stand throughout September as part of a national tour raising awareness of the devastating impact of knife crime.
But for one local family, the sculpture’s arrival carries an especially personal meaning.
Among those hoping its presence will make people think twice about carrying a knife is Lisa Petrie, whose 22-year-old son John McNab was stabbed to death in Leith last year.
John was found seriously injured on Great Junction Street at around 2.10am on September 2, 2025. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.
His death sent shockwaves through the local community and came to represent the devastating reality surrounding knife crime.
Almost a year on, his mum Lisa has helped bring the Knife Angel to Edinburgh in the hope that something positive can come from the tragedy.
The creation was sculpted by artist Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre and was made using around 100,000 knives and blades seized by police forces across the UK.
The angel is designed to make people stop and think about the consequences of carrying and using knives, with every blade incorporated into the sculpture representing the sheer scale of weapons that have been removed from the streets.
The figure's hands are positioned in a “why” gesture , while its face has a sense of despair. Its wings also carry messages of love and remembrance from families who have lost loved ones to knife crime, as well as messages of regret from ex-offenders.
Matilda Powell, a local from Leith, said: “Hopefully it will send a message to young ones that knife crime is not the route to go down, when I first saw it I thought it was beautiful and very poignant.”
The Knife Angel is intended to encourage conversations about knife crime and the devastating impact it has. Its month-long stay in Leith will be accompanied by a programme of community events and activities raising awareness of knife crime and preventing violence.
One of these events will be a moment of remembrance John McNab, which has been organised by Lisa and planned for September 25.
As the one year anniversary of his death approaches this Wednesday, Lisa revealed they will be walking with candles to honour John's life.
For Lisa, the Knife Angel’s presence in the community provides an opportunity to remember John while also trying to prevent another family from experiencing the same pain.
Lisa said: “The Knife Angel being here, I'm hoping it raises more awareness.
“I mean we're losing all of our kids, on both sides of the story we are losing our kids to knife crime.
“There needs to be a massive change.
“I want them to see how beautiful she is. I think she's beautiful but she's eerie.
“Each knife in this statue has a story and I want kids to see that this isn't the path they need to be choosing.”
Lisa Petrie has since become an activist, advocating for more bleed kits, tighter regulations on knives being sold, and changes to bail for violent knife crime.
She has invited anybody affected by knife crime to a "vigil" at the Angel on September 25, to come together as a community and remember those lost.