Protest plans to get Shropshire-made Knife Angel to Trafalgar Square
A protest is being organised as a final attempt to persuade London's Mayor to display the Knife Angel in Trafalgar Square.
It was created at the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry and the man behind the plans said he has always dreamt of seeing it in the capital, as a symbol against knife crime and aggression.
Ironworks boss Clive Knowles is now planning to protest and picket the mayor, Sadiq Khan's office in a bid to change his mind.
He said: "We're contacting all of the families, mothers and people who have lost loves one to knife crime, to organise a protest march. We want to show the strength of feeling outside the Mayor of London's office.
"I always want to be optimistic and will always work in a positive manner, so I believe that if the mayor's office feels the raw emotion of the families affected by knife crime, they might be swayed."
Mr Knowles said he expects hundreds of families to join the protest later this year, once a date has been set.
The Ironworks boss said the protest will be their final chance to try and force a change of heart.
He said: "We have very little options left open to us. Sadiq has decided to rely on this criteria to ban the Knife Angel from the fourth plinth.
"He has deliberately booked it up until 2022 with art that may be beautiful but is totally impotent."
Mr Knowles has claimed he was told the Knife Angel was bad for tourism and the capital as it throws a spotlight on the issue of knife crime.
"We should be using the plinth to help our own society," he said. "We believe the country has a right to use the Fourth Plinth for what they want, not to be told they can't."
Earlier this year Mr Knowles launched a petition to get the sculpture, which was created by Alfie Bradley from 10,000 knives collected in a country-wide weapon amnesty, installed in London.
The petition has since been signed by more than 35,000 people.
A City Hall spokesperson, who said they are aware of the Knife Angel petition, added: "The Fourth Plinth is the site of a rolling programme of contemporary art and works have already been selected through to 2022 by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group on behalf of the Mayor of London."
Nottingham, Gloucester, Greater Manchester, Birmingham and Coventry have all put their names forward to host the Shropshire sculpture, which will eventually tour the country before returning home the British Ironwork Centre sculpture park off the A5.
