| |
| |
You are here: Frontpage > Issues > 2490 >
|
|
Kat Barton
The biennial Defence Systems &
Equipment International (DSEi),
one of the largest arms fairs in the
world, has once again been met
with protests in East London,
where it has been held since
1999.
The recently announced decision by publishing company Reed
Elsevier to pull out of organising
the event has rightly given anti-arms trade activists cause to celebrate. But judging by the unusually low turnout at this year's "Day
of Action Against DSEi" on 11
September, it would seem that
some people took the welcoming
news as a signal to stay at home!
Only 150 protesters marched
from Plaistow Park in East London
to Custom House station just outside the Excel Centre in London's
Docklands. There, around 60
cyclists, who had participated in a
Critical Mass-style cycle ride from
central London, joined them.
Numbers swelled to around 300
as people came to listen to
speeches by Sian Berry (Green
Party), Bill Perry (local resident),
Alan Craig (Newham councillor),
Ian Pritchard (Campaign Against
Arms Trade), Len Aldis (East London Against the Arms Fair) and
the comedian Mark Thomas.
Of course, numbers aren't
everything and there were certain-
ly some enterprising actions taking place at this year's event.
Resisting the dealers
The "Space Hijackers" group Â
determined to make a very visible
protest to arms fair delegates Â
used one very large tank as a
decoy, enabling a gaggle of
activists and "embedded
reporters" to drive a second tank
right up to the main vehicle
entrance of the Excel Centre,
where they promptly held a street
party and auctioned off the tank -
for the paltry sum of $50.
The Radisson Mayfair Hotel -
the venue for a UK Defence Con-
ference held a few days before
DSEi - was also targeted when
20-30 protesters turned up to
leaflet passers-by.
Outside London, several solidarity actions took place, including the subvertising - creative
enhancement - of army recruitment adverts in Oxford, and a
blockade of the car park of the
arms factory BAE Middleton in
Manchester.
Autonomous actions continued
throughout the week and included
Catholic Worker activists pouring
"Rivers of Blood" outside the
arms fair (see below), 20 activists
running into the Excel Centre, and
plenty of leafleting and placard
waving  which resulted in a pensioner being roughly arrested.
Remembering the victims
One of the most moving actions of
the week, though, took place on
the eve of the arms fair.
Around 100 people gathered at
a candle-lit vigil outside the
entrance of Excel, to commemorate those who have been killed
as a result of the arms trade.
The event highlighted the
absurdity of an industry that
derives its profits from killing.
Even as we celebrate our successes, there is still so much work
to be done.
|
|
|
|
