DSEi protesters got it all wrong

It appears that the hundreds of protestors who took action against DSEi at the Excel centre in London's Docklands have got it all wrong. The DSEi show was not an arms fair at all. According to the local daily paper, The Newham recorder, Spearhead, the organisers of the event, say that this was an "open event that can promote cost effectiveness".

So one must ask how can such a huge mistake have been made. It could have been the fact the centre that was filled with helicopters, guns, computer defence systems, combat gear, radar, tanks, people carriers, missiles and ships. Or perhaps it goes back earlier to the promotion of the event on the web. The official DSEi listed only arms companies as exhibitors.

But protesters weren't the only one's confused. London's Metropolitan Police spent £2 million policing the event according to the Recorder. If only someone had explained to them earlier that this was an "open event" a lot of taxpayers money could have been saved.

... But seriously folks, you have got to wonder about the sanity of the person or organisation that could make such absurd claims. They really are completely bonkers.

Sheff IMC

Comments

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TELL TOM ABOUT IT!

14.09.2003 18:46

the 'article'is here:

http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/archived/2003/Newham%20Wk%2037/tomduncan.asp

you can make a comment on it here:

http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/commentsnewham.asp

go on tell the old doddery fuck all about it!

Phill

the article

14.09.2003 19:11

Page 24, Sept 10th 2003

Page 24 of the Newham Recorder, Sept 10th 2003

Sheff IMC
Homepage: http://www.sheffield.indymedia.org.uk

errr...

15.09.2003 00:32

err i read the article and it doesnt say what you say it says.

either u have the link wrong or he's re-written it.

It's just a teensy bit more fair now. But he needs reminding that these 'hundreds of people" are in NO WAY breaking the law by engaging in peaceful protest. Indeed it has been reported in mainstream media that the exhibiting companies have broken far more serious laws by importing weapons without licenses. And also that it has been suggested by David Blunkett himself that police have themselves broken laws on police conduct by using "anti-terrorist" laws against peaceful protesters.

Article text below.

xx t

TAXPAYERS will have to pick up the bill of more than a millon pounds for policing the arms fair at ExCeL exhibition centre.

That seems a good enough reason for saying the show should be closed down...but is it?
Most of us would like to see all weapons and armoured vehicles of the type being exhibited in Custom House this week banned completely, but we don't live in that kind of world. Oppression and cruelty predates the development of modern weaponry and there are grounds for saying it has deterrent as well as destructive features.

If trying to stop the exhibition at ExCeL was likely to make any contribution to lasting world peace, the price paid for this week's protest would not be a cause of concern.
The reality, however, is that it will do nothing to change the root causes of wars and conflicts which have existed since time immemorial.

And it is always questionable whether any moral cause justifies breaking the law, as hundreds of people are prepared to do again today.

It's hard to condemn them outright...but neither can their actions be condoned.

-Tom Duncan, Newham Recorder

Tombola

good idea

15.09.2003 01:16

the link and the photo are to two different articles. Anyway I've followed your advice and written to the paper. see below , hopefully they'll print it...

xx l

-----------------------

Dear Sir,

Regarding Tom Duncan's editoral, [headed "This is not the way to win a war."] where he says "And it is always questionable whether any moral cause justifies breaking the law, as hundreds of people are prepared to do again today," may I remind him that the vast majority of these these "hundreds of people" are in no way breaking the law by engaging in peaceful protest.

I would also remind him that the broadsheets reported that the exhibiting companies broke some extremely serious laws by importing weapons without licenses. The police themselves rightly intended to arrest these heavily armed lawbreakers, some from states and goverments identified as "terrorist states", but were frustrated by political pressure from the top.

And also that it has been suggested by David Blunkett himself that police may have themselves broken laws on police conduct by using "anti-terrorist" laws against peaceful protesters to suppress legitimate dissent.

Who are the real lawbreakers here?

Yours,

Luther Blissett,
Burges Road,
East Ham.

luther

stuck in 1890s

15.09.2003 13:50

when has the law had any moral back ground to it?
what is by law we are obliged to declare war on a country?
what about when hitler through relativly lawful means exterminated millions of jews gypsies serbs etc...
how is it that a prisoner of war (not the dictator but the soldior) is treated more humanly than a run-of-the-mill murderer?
does the moral authority (moral? authority? not exactly libertarian words i know but...) lie in the hands of those who break the fewest or those that broke the less important laws?
so does someone who gets done for destroying weapons (damaging of property) have less moral authority than someone who illeagaly invades?
what i am getting at are that the people who want to preserve these laws and dont want them broken bassicly arent willing to confront a world without the militry power that we live in controling the world. They are willing to confront a world that would consist of them living in a country that has less militry prowess, a minor country, an insignificant country, they are not willing to be in a minority veiw, a weak position, an under dog in this game for life.
my point is drop the word law from the vocablary or be prepared to catograriesed as a liberal imperialist.
by the way it is no typo i am stuck 110 years ago.
'anarchy is terror'

rebelious one