In honor of the victims of knife crime, a sculpture of a knife made of weapons gathered by police is slated to stand in a town square.
The sculpture is being made in Reading to honor those who have passed away or suffered injuries as a result of attacks involving knives in the community.
According to Reading Borough Council, it is hoped that the piece of art will serve as "a symbol of peace and positivity.".
By the spring, it should be set up at the Oracle shopping center.
David Allen, Raheem Hanif, Yannick Cupido, and 13-year-old Olly Stephens were all stabbed to death in separate incidents in the town.
Khairi Saadallah stabbed three friends, James Furlong, Joe Ritchie-Bennett, and David Wails, in Forbury Gardens during a terrorist attack in June 2020, and all three of them passed away shortly after.
By turning the weapons and knives seized from community knife bins and police seizures into a symbol of peace and positivity through creative arts, the project aims to support the community "in feeling empowered to change the narrative around knife carrying in Reading," according to Karen Rowland, lead councillor for community safety.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), she added that it was hoped the sculpture would "cause each of us to pause and reflect on the devastating impact of knife crime within our communities.".
The project is supported by the Thames Valley Police, Reading Borough Council, and neighborhood organizations.
