Widow of stabbing victim hopes to bring Knife Angel to Aberdeen

Press and Journal

28-04-2025

An Aberdeen woman who lost her husband in a stabbing attack is calling for the city to host an artwork designed to help combat knife crime.
Linda Taylor's husband Keith was murdered in Tillydrone in July 2016 along with her neighbour Tracy Gabriel.
Haunted by that loss, Linda recently vowed to use her personal tragedy to help ensure fewer people will be forced to endure the loss of a loved one to violent crime.
After calling on the police and government to introduce a viable and ongoing knife surrender scheme to encourage people to ditch potentially deadly weapons, Linda has now turned her attention to Aberdeen City Council.
The widow is asking the local authority to launch a bid to host The Knife Angel – a 27ft tall statue designed to help combat knife crime.
Her call for action comes just days after a 12-year-old girl was slashed in an alleged knife incident at Hazlehead Academy in Aberdeen.
Also known as The National Monument Against Violence, The Knife Angel is made from more than 100,000 seized blades from police forces across the UK, some of which have been engraved by those affected by knife crime.
The statue has now travelled to more than 50 cities since 2018, spreading awareness and prompting conversation wherever it goes.
Linda said she was encouraged to approach the council after learning about the impact seeing a knife sculpture had had on someone she knew.
'I was talking about amnesties and he told me about being taken to see a knife sculpture as a child and how that affected him,' she said.
After learning about the Knife Angel, Linda decided she wanted to bring the artwork, along with a knife amnesty bin, to Aberdeen, in memory of her husband.
Linda, who has also been speaking to representatives from Police Scotland about using her experiences to educate others on the impact of knife crime, hopes that being confronted by the powerful artwork will help to prompt both conversation and action.
She hopes that bringing the artwork to Aberdeen would allow families and schools to visit, creating an opportunity for conversation around the topics of violence and knife crime.
'I think the earlier you start, the better chance you have,' she said, noting that recent events at Hazlehead Academy underline how her mission is more important than ever.
'It is crazy that it is happening in schools,' she said.
Asked what effect she hoped the presence of the sculpture might have, Linda said: 'If people see what good can be done instead of using the weapons then you might actually have an impact.
'All those weapons could have been used – now look at how beautiful it is.'
Linda has already enlisted the help of Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart and is lobbying the police and council to bring her idea to fruition.
Kevin Stewart told the Press and Journal: 'I think it's a great idea to host the Knife Angel statue here in Aberdeen.
'Knife crime has a devastating impact on families and communities and all credit to Linda for using her heartbreaking story to raise awareness and continue conversations.
'I'm fully supportive of this initiative and will continue to engage with Linda and stakeholders to try and make this a reality'.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Knives can have a devastating impact on our communities.
'We take a zero-tolerance approach to offensive weapons and knife crime and are committed to making our communities safer.
'We are working with partners through enforcement and education and will continue to target those who choose to carry weapons.
'We are aware of a potential opportunity for Aberdeen to host the Knife Angel and will liaise with partners.'
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman told us: 'We are in discussions partners as we seek to move forward with a bid.'
Linda said: 'Let's make it happen.'