There’s a week to go before protests against the DSEI arms fair in London.
One of the largest arms fairs in the world, ‘Defence & Security Equipment International’ will feature exhibitors selling weapons from machine guns to tanks. A whole range of buyers will also be there – including Saudi Arabia, who have been invited in spite of a recent Court of Appeal ruling that arms sales to the kingdom are ‘unlawful’.
People from across the country will be travelling to the ExCel centre to say that this is not OK. Quakers will be particularly active on Tuesday 3rd September, when the focus of the protest is No Faith in War.
Pop into Peace Hub to find out how you can take action, including:
- Travelling down to take part in the protests;
- Adding your message to our banner (pictured) which will travel down to the demonstration;
- Making a mini-banner to add to our display;
- Joining a solidarity Quaker meeting for worship;
- Sign a letter to your MP asking them to call on the government to stop weapons sales to Saudi.
On this last point, Campaign Against Arms Trade have issued an update on their court case against the government allowing arms sales to Saudi Arabia:
“The bad news first: as we feared, our fight must go on. The Government doesn’t want to accept the verdict and it has been granted permission to take the case to the Supreme Court.
The good news is that the Government’s request for ‘a stay’, which would have allowed it to carry on with business as usual until any Appeal is heard, was denied. Previous decisions on arms sales must still be retaken, ‘on a lawful basis’. Until this is done, it must also stop issuing new arms exports licences to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners for use in Yemen.”
Sarah Waldron, Campaign Against Arms Trade
A majority of people in the UK oppose the arms trade, especially the sale of weapons to regimes with poor human rights records. Pressure is building against this deadly industry: so now is the time to make your voice heard!