Last week saw peaceful days of action co-ordinated by the 'Stop the Arms Fair Coalition' in response to the bi-annual arms fair DSEi (Defence & Security Equipment International) at the London ExCel Centre. DSEi is the world's largest arms fair and it exists so that arms buyers and sellers can come together, network and make deals.

From 'Campaign Against the Arms Trade' (CAAT): 'DSEi 2013 featured 1,500 exhibitors from around the world displaying arms ranging from rifles to tanks to fighter jets to battleships. They were joined by "trade visitors" and military delegations, including countries involved in conflict and from human rights abusing regimes, as well as those with desperately underfunded development needs.'

On the Sunday 8th September the week of action was kicked off with a demo organised by Occupy London: Occupy vs the Arms Trade. Volunteers from Nottingham-based Veggies, the vegan catering campaign, went down to London on this Sunday to provide food by donation for the peaceful protesters. Veggies has been supporting campaigns for humans, other animals and the environment since 1984.

On Sunday 8th September, Veggies of Nottingham packed up their vegan cakes and samosas and headed down to London to give their support to the hundreds of peaceful protesters campaigning against the immoral and unethical DSEi arms fair. 

At least two Nottingham companies had stalls at DSEi. Heckler & Koch and Ergo Computing exhibited their wares to military delegations from around the world. H&K, which is based in the Lenton Lane industrial estate, sells assault rifles and submachine guns to repressive regimes such as those in Bahrain and Egypt.

Campaigners were very happy to see the Veggies team (and their delicious vegan food!) along on the day. The team provided a boost of morale to those that had been out protesting since the early hours of the day and hadn't had anything to eat. In fact people were so happy to see Veggies that the stall was swamped with those eager to get hold of food by donation and all boxes of food and trays of cake quickly sold out. 

People were also very interested in the campaign literature the team had brought along, as human rights and animals rights campaigning is all part of the same struggle against needless suffering and injustice. Animal Aid's purple poppies, sold to commemorate the many animal victims of war, were available on the day and people donated generously for these.

If you would like to join the friendly Veggies team to campaign against social injustice, animal abuse and enviromental destruction then you can contact them at: info@veggies.org.uk

Information on the website: www.veggies.org.uk

More details about the Arms Trade and what happened during the week of action can be found on the following websites:

www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk

www.caat.org.uk/issues/arms-fairs/dsei/

Animal Aid's purple poppy appeal: http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/living//2256//