Emotional speeches and performances mark arrival of Knife Angel in Sandwell
It was an emotional moment for all in attendance as a striking and poignant reminder of the dangers of knife crime officially arrived in the centre of Sandwell.
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The Knife Angel will stand in a prominent position on Oldbury Civic Square next to Sandwell Council House in Oldbury after being officially unveiled in a moving ceremony on Wednesday.
There were performances from local schools and dancers, as well as speeches from police commanders, the people behind the Angel and a very moving and emotional speech from Pooja Kanda, the mother of Ronan Kanda.
The 16-year-old was murdered close to his home in Wolverhampton after he visited a friend's house to buy a PlayStation controller in June 2022 and his mother spoke about how Ronan's death had taken happiness away from the family.
She said: "My son's life was tragically taken on the streets of our country in a case of mistaken identity and through no fault of Ronan or our family, we lost pure happiness.
"Ronan was a happy, funny, kind and, above all, caring child and after his brutal killing, I learned even more about my son's wonderful character.
"People reached out to me to share the stories of Ronan's kindness and impact on their lives and these stories have reinforced how privileged I am to have been Ronan's mother."
The statue is 27-feet tall and weighs 3.5 tons and is comprised of 100,000 blunted knives received from 43 police forces across the UK.
It has toured many UK towns and cities since November 2018 and will be in residence on Oldbury Civic Square throughout October.
The striking Angel was launched on the same day that a teenager was stabbed on West Bromwich High Street and both Sandwell Council Leader Kerrie Carmichael and Sandwell Police commander Chief Superintendent Kim Madill said the Angel was a reminder of the dangers of knife-related crime.
Councillor Carmichael, said: “Knife-related crime is a concern across the UK, and it is important that we do all we can here in Sandwell to make sure people choose life, not knife.
“Most people do not carry knives; most young people do not carry knives. But we need anyone who does, or is tempted to carry a knife, to turn their back on a choice that could cost their or another person’s life.
“This thought-provoking Knife Angel is a reminder of the real and tragic consequences of knife crime and will hopefully start conversations within families, among friends and in the community.
“This campaign seeks to engage every member of the Sandwell community, in schools, families, businesses and local organisations, in a collective mission.
"We will honour those impacted by violence, educate the public, raise awareness of personal safety and take meaningful action to create a safer, more peaceful future.”
Chief Superintendent Madill, said: "Knives can ruin lives and we're working with partners to keep our streets safe.
"We're doing this through both enforcement and education and the Knife Angel sends out a powerful message which should resonate across communities.
"We're committed to doing all we can to prevent the devastating consequences which can be caused by carrying a weapon.
"Actions in the heat of the moment can lead to the tragic loss of life and someone else ruining their own life too.”
The Knife Angel sculpture has been brought to the borough by Sandwell Council and the Safer Sandwell Partnership working together with British Ironwork Centre, West Midlands Police and the West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP).
