Knives from Police Amnesty (to Wed 26th July) to be used to create “Dove of Peace” Monument to stand in Trafalgar Square
There is a Knife Amnesty in Surrey until Wed 26th July, with collection points in Guildford, Staines, Reigate and Woking. Surrey Police are appealing to anyone, including parents and carers, who know someone who carries a knife to encourage them to dispose of it.
Local Lib Dem campaigner and former Cllr Liam Lyons said, "The devastating effect of knife crime on people's lives is clear for all of us to see. We commend our hard-working police force's proactive efforts to reduce knife crime."
There is a plan for the knives surrendered in the amnesty to be used to create a "Dove of Peace Monument" which the makers, Black Country Metal Works Limited, hope to have placed on the 4th Plinth in Trafalgar Square.
Earlier this year a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats showed that the number of pupils caught in possession of knives in schools across London has risen for a fifth successive year, with 299 students found with knives in 2016, compared to 152 in 2011. Additionally, in the 12 months to March 2017, there had been almost 2,000 youth victims of knife crime resulting in injury.
Links:
Surrey Police Amnesty Note:
https://www.surrey.police.uk/news/knife-amnesty-launched-across-surrey-as-part-of-nationwide-campaign/
London Lib Dem news on knife crime statistics in March this year: