Press release: Banner Drop at London Arms Fair
Destroy DSEi | 13.09.2011 07:42 | Anti-militarism
ACTIVISTS STAGE BANNER DROP AT WORLD'S LARGEST ARMS FAIR
Wave of actions planned for opening day of London arms fair
Wave of actions planned for opening day of London arms fair
Destroy DSEi banner
Activists hung a 12 metre 'Destroy DSEi' banner on the site of the ExCel Centre at dawn this morning. ExCel opens its doors to the controversial Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEi) arms fair on September 13th. A wave of protest actions are planned for the first day of the fair.
Activists dropped the banner from two cranes opposite the ExCel Centre in Newham,where the arms fair takes place. The DSEi arms fair is one of the largest arms fairs in the world, with over 1,300 exhibiting companies and 25,000 attendees1. The arms fair is co-organised by Clarion Events and the UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation2, and will be visited by Defence Minister Liam Fox.
The Stop the Arms Fair coalition has called a day of action on the first day of the fair3. Campaigners have highlighted government spending in support of the arms trade, at a time when Newham is facing cuts to public services of over £116 million. Local resident Paul Averick said “Newham was one of the most heavily bombed areas in World War II, and many in the local population have direct experience of the effects of the arms trade. I'm appalled that the fair is going on.”
The UK government has extended official invitations to over 60 countries, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Pakistan4. 14 countries on the official invite list are classified as authoritarian regimes in the Economists democracy index5. Previous years' DSEis have seen Libya, Egypt and Israel among official invitees6. This year, the fair will host a special demonstration of un-manned aerial drones, in addition to the displays of warships, weapons, armoured vehicles and military aircraft.
For further information on planned protests visit
http://www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/
For further information on the DSEi arms fair visit http://www.caat.org.uk/issues/armsfairs/dsei/
Activists dropped the banner from two cranes opposite the ExCel Centre in Newham,where the arms fair takes place. The DSEi arms fair is one of the largest arms fairs in the world, with over 1,300 exhibiting companies and 25,000 attendees1. The arms fair is co-organised by Clarion Events and the UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation2, and will be visited by Defence Minister Liam Fox.
The Stop the Arms Fair coalition has called a day of action on the first day of the fair3. Campaigners have highlighted government spending in support of the arms trade, at a time when Newham is facing cuts to public services of over £116 million. Local resident Paul Averick said “Newham was one of the most heavily bombed areas in World War II, and many in the local population have direct experience of the effects of the arms trade. I'm appalled that the fair is going on.”
The UK government has extended official invitations to over 60 countries, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Pakistan4. 14 countries on the official invite list are classified as authoritarian regimes in the Economists democracy index5. Previous years' DSEis have seen Libya, Egypt and Israel among official invitees6. This year, the fair will host a special demonstration of un-manned aerial drones, in addition to the displays of warships, weapons, armoured vehicles and military aircraft.
For further information on planned protests visit
http://www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/ For further information on the DSEi arms fair visit
http://www.caat.org.uk/issues/armsfairs/dsei/
Destroy DSEi
Homepage:
www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk
Comments
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A banner drop !
13.09.2011 09:13
O my God, they've hung a banner outside, that's it for any sales today. we'd all better go home.
Pathetic is not a word storng enough.
Still laughing
State approved action
13.09.2011 12:26
Meanwhile an attempt to mount a spikey protest was prevented when activists who had established a more aggresive convergence centre in London were grassed up to the police and their organisation rubbished and undermined in the activist media (including here).
The infiltration of the UK activist movement (in particular Animal Rights and Arms Trade Protest movement) must now be regarded as one of the best operations the State has ever undertaken.
Stopping the fair not playing games
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