People took to the streets of Kirkcaldy at the weekend to campaign against knife crime in memory of a young Fife father.
A march in the town on Saturday morning was supported by around 220 people carrying banners and wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan ‘Ditch the Knife and Cherish Life’.
It was staged by the parents of Barry McLean (27), of Burntisland, who was killed by a single knife wound in May last year.
Alan and Tina McLean launched the campaign after Sean Kitchener was found not guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh of murdering their son, despite admitting stabbing him.
Among the protesters on Saturday were Barry’s girlfriend, Jennifer Gavin, her sister and father.
Barry’s parents are fighting for a review of the trial as they believe jurors, who accepted Kitchener’s self-defence plea, failed to properly assess the evidence.
Health and safety adviser and former firefighter Alan said he was delighted with the public response and hoped that something positive could come from his son’s death.
He said: ”The march went very well and the support was overwhelming.
”There were approximately 220 people which was good for the first parade arranged.
”It was also good to see younger members of our community taking part in the parade.
”The support has been absolutely tremendous.
”We had volunteers out early giving out anti-knife-crime leaflets.
”We turned a lot of heads in the streets and had great support from Fife Fire and Rescue Service, the police, ambulance personnel, as well as a lot of nurses.
”We cannot thank these people enough for the dedication and support given.
”We thank all these people so much from the bottom of our hearts.
”The message that united us all is to ditch knives and cherish life – to keep our children safe.
”We know it’ll never bring Barry back, but we honestly hope that the parade has sent a message out to the public to be aware of knife crime.
”It can prevent other people having to go through what we’ve been through, which has been absolutely horrendous.”
A second parade is planned in Edinburgh on November 17 and videos of both demonstrations are to be submitted, with a petition calling for a review of the trial, to the Scottish Government.
Barry died after going to Kitchener’s flat in Abbots View, Burntisland, with his brother Craig and their uncle Kevin Thomson.
Kitchener had fought with Craig the night before and put him in a choke hold in the toilets of a pub.
Kitchener later told detectives he had feared for his life and ”poked” Barry with a kitchen knife. Barry suffered a wound which sliced into a major artery.
He bled to death in front of his frantic parents, who had been called by Craig, and rushed to the scene.