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Dear friend
Deliveries to Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI), one of the world's largest arms fairs, were brought to a standstill on Thursday morning when peace campaigners blocked the road. The protest at the ExCeL centre took place during the No Faith in War day.
Several hundred people came together to oppose the London arms fair, with events including a Quaker meeting for worship, and an Anglican prayer service taking place in front of one of the gates. After several hours, and with the number of trucks waiting to go onto site building up, the police moved in, and imposed conditions on the protest. Nine people were arrested.
DSEI is due to take place at the ExCeL centre in London between 12th-15th September. Protests began on 4th September, with the first week targeting the setting up of the arms fair. Over 2,800 suppliers of weapons and military equipment will be courting deals with representatives from human-rights abusing regimes, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bahrain, Qatar, and Israel. Campaigners argue that the deals done at DSEI lead to death and devastation across the world.
Stop the Arms Fair (STAF) is coordinating the fortnight of resistance, with other groups organising specific events or days. These days will highlight the intersections of the arms trade and the different areas and communities it impacts including migrant justice, the climate crisis, policing and prisons and more.
This weekend sees a a Festival of Resistance and Critical Mass bike ride on Saturday, and Abolition Now! saying no to DSEI, Police and Prisons, on Sunday.
Find out what is happening via the Stop the Arms Fair website or the CAAT Events page, and join other campaigners in resisting this dreadful fair!
Thank you for your continuing support!
Kirsten Bayes
Campaign Against Arms Trade