Campaigners block the road in East London outside the DSEI arms fair Photo: @CAATuk / Twitter
HUNDREDS of peace campaigners gathered outside of London’s ExCel centre today to tell arms dealers and the world’s worst human rights abusing nations that they are not welcome.
It came as UK Defence and Security Exports published the list of countries invited to Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI).
Eight of the nations are on the British government’s own list of countries of concern, such as Saudi Arabia.
Protests, co-ordinated by the Stop The Arms Fair (Staf), have been targeting the event since it began preparations last week, leading to at least 12 arrests.
“Representatives from regimes such as Saudi Arabia, who have used UK-made weapons to commit war crimes in Yemen, will be wined and dined and encouraged to buy yet more arms.”
The biannual Defence & Security Exports International (DSEI) fair is taking place on September 12 – 15 in London. The event is one of the largest arms fairs in the world. It is attended by delegates from across the globe, including from some of the most oppressive regimes. This year’s fair will see over 2,800 manufacturers display their arms.
Ahead of the event, a group of activists are launching a campaign protesting the arms trade and the manufacturers showcasing their products at the trade show. They are campaigning under a ‘Stop the Arms Fair’ (STAF) banner. STAF formed in 2011 with the aim of putting a stop to arms fairs in the UK, particularly DSEI.
Every two years, DSEI brings thousands of arms buyers from over 100 countries worldwide together to network and make deals. The high-profile event connects governments, national armed forces, industry thought leaders and the entire defence and security supply chain on a global scale. The anti-arms trade activists say DSEI is an important event for the UK state, which ‘heavily subsidises and promotes the arms industry, and helps organise the arms fair.’
