The protest, designed to coincide with the opening of DSEi – Defence Systems Equipment International – the world's largest arms fair – focussed on targeting some of the biggest backers of the arms trade, including Barclays, Legal and General and Axa. British Telecom, who have a £59 million share in the arms trade were also occupied.

Sophie Williams, from DISARM DSEi said “Any damage caused pales into insignificance in comparison with the destruction UK weapons have caused worldwide. The only way to make these companies divest from the arms trade is to hit them economically, and today's action is part of growing movement of direct action against the dealers in death and the money behind them.”

For further information contact:

Sophie Williams - 07792813907.

Notes for Editors:

Notes for Journalists:

- Defence Systems Equipment International runs until Friday 11th September at the ExCeL Centre in London. Further protests are expected throughout the week.

- A map of the locations of arms trade investors in The City of London can
be found at  https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/09/437498.html

- Barclays - Barclays is the largest investor in the global arms trade
with 7.3 billion pounds in shares. It ranks among the top ten largest
investors in US arms companies. Moreover it helped to finance investment
company VSS in its purchase of Clarion, the organisers of the DSEI
arms
fair.

Barclays is the principle banker for three arms companies; VT Group,
Cobham and Meggitt and is a major investor in ITT, the parent company of
EDO MBM, a company who have been subjected to a sustained direct action
campaign in Brighton (see www.smashedo.org.uk). Barclays also holds shares
in Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics,
EADS and Thales, to name just a few.

- RBS - RBS holds 36.4 million of shares in the UK arms industry and is
the principal banker for BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Babcock and Ultra
Electronic. RBS is the world's leading creditor to the arms industry
having given 44.6 billion in loans over the last ten years including loans
to producers of cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions. It also
financed VSS' purchase of Clarion.

- Lloyds TSB – Lloyds hold shares in the
UK arms sector worth 717.5
million and serves as principal banker to BAE Systems and QinetiQ. Lloyds
have given 33.3 billion in loans over the last ten years including loans
to producers of cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions.

- AXA, British Telecom, Legal and General, Prudential, Standard Life and
Aviva are also large investors in the arms trade.