Damien Gayle - Protesters begin effort to disrupt Britain's biggest arms fair in east London
Anti-war activists
have begun a week of protests in east London in an effort to
stop weapons and military equipment arriving at Britain’s biggest arms fair. The biennial Defence
and Security Equipment International (DSEI), which bills itself as “the world
leading event” for buyers and sellers of military equipment, begins next week
at the ExCeL centre in Docklands.
More than 34,000
visitors are expected to attend the arms fair, including delegations from
regimes accused of human rights abuses such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as
well as representatives of the world’s 10 biggest arms companies. Keynote speakers
include Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, and Liam Fox, the international
trade secretary, as well as the chiefs of staff of the British armed forces.
Thousands of
protesters are expected to take action outside the the ExCeL centre throughout
the week, with blockades, actions and demonstrations outside all main entrances
in an effort to hamper exhibitors from setting up their stands for the four-day
event, which opens on 12 September. Protests on each day
will have a different focus, from nuclear weapons to arms to Israel to free
movement for people rather than weapons. Opponents to the fair say that some of
the world’s most oppressive regimes are represented among buyers.
Andrew Smith, of
Campaign Against the Arms Trade, which is helping to coordinate protests, said:
“DSEI will bring many of the world’s most appalling regimes together with the
biggest arms companies. “Right now UK fighter
jets and bombs are playing a central role in the destruction of Yemen; what
will be the next atrocity they are used in? War, repression and injustice are
fuelled by events like DSEI. It’s time to shut it down for good.”.. read more:
