Week of protests and prayer against DSEI Arms Fair

Source: Wiki image by Andrew Smithson

A week of protests and prayers has begun today, outside the Excel Centre, East London, which is due to host the Defence & Security Equipment International 2017 (DSEI) arms fair next week. The DSEI arms fair is one of the largest arms fairs in the world. It will bring thousands of arms company reps together with representatives of some of the world's most authoritarian regimes.

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said: "Thousands of activists and campaigners from across the UK will be outside the Excel Centre this week. We will be united by our opposition to one of the biggest arms fairs in the world."

There will be blockades, actions and protests at the main entrances to DSEI all week, with a separate theme every day to highlight the deadly consequences of the arms trade. The week of action has been called by the Stop the Arms Fair network (which CAAT is part of).

• Monday 4th - Stop Arming Israel see: www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/stop-arming-israel/

• Tuesday 5th - No Faith in War see: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/33306

• Wednesday 6th - No to Nuclear, Arms to Renewables see: www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/arms-to-renewables/

• Thursday 7th - Free movement for people not weapons see: www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/solidarity-without-borders/

• Friday 8th - Conference at the Gates (an academic conference on militarism and peace) see: www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/conference-at-the-gates/

• Saturday 9th - Big Day of Action, www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/big-day-action/ including Art the Arms Fair see: https://artthearmsfair.org

• Sunday 10th - War Stops Here: Public Education Day on the Arms Trade see: www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/war-resisters-international/

• Monday 11th - Candlelit Vigil see: www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/candlelit-vigil/