DSEi and the arms trade 2003 - news archive

"My court case last week for obstructing the highway at the DSEi arms fair on 1st September, allegedly with a very large tripod, was a bit interesting for two reasons. Firstly, the comments of the police outside the court before the trial: the tripod action was - quote - "very impressive" and "highly commendable, really", because "they must have got them up in under a minute"!"

"The following plan for future action has been formed by a number of people involved in the DISARM DSEi co-ordinating group who would like to see the campaign continue and grow. Open Meeting: 18th January 2004, 2pm, LARC, Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, London. It should be clear that this meeting is not intended as a de-brief, but as a meeting to constructively take the campaign forward."

"Deacon Dave Havard was in court today for his part in protesting illegal and immoral arms trading at the DSEi Arms Fair in September. He was charged with Obstruction of the Highway but the case was dismissed as the arresting police officers failed to appear in court."

"In response to growing concerns that Birmingham University has become a fertile recruitment ground for arms dealers and their supporters in the oil trade, B*U*S*T the War and People & Planet were today forced to investigate."

"Oxfam in Bristol have joined forces with Amnesty International to criticise the government for refusing to close the gaping loopholes in the UK’s new arms export law. Roger Berry MP chair of a key parliamentary committee on the issue has also spoken out only one week after he joined campaigners in the city to launch a major new international campaign to ‘Control Arms’ at a well-attended public debate on the issue."

Activists in their best suits boarded trains and busses with briefcases of the ams and warheads they had for sale (actually arms and legs and heads from dolls) and struck up merry conversations with genuine arms dealers about what they do….

"Now - while SchNEWS knows that cars can kill and aren't too good for the environment we reckon that Apache fighter jets, landmines and cluster bombs are just a tad more harmful to civilians. This is the sort of euphemistic blather coming from the suits this week at Europe's biggest arms fair - Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi pronounced 'dicey') - the place where state terrorism is labelled 'defence', cluster bombs become 'cargo ammunition' and bombs are creatively called 'air delivered weapons'. This week at the ExCel centre in east London the supposed 'terrorist' regimes were welcomed alongside the 'good guys' alike as 'clients' side by side, queuing up for weaponry. Luckily there were over 2,000 tooled up coppers to hold back the persistent direct action and blockades against the 'fair with the scariest rides in town'."

"Last night a select group of DSEi arms dealers were treated to a special dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel at Lancaster Gate on the north side of Hyde Park. Protests started at around 6.30ish in the evening for the dinner which was scheduled for 7pm. Around the same time a group of 25 cyclists made their way up Park Lane and then turned right at Marble Arch down Bayswater road toward the hotel. Though few in number this itself caused a huge traffic build up and hopefully would have delayed some of the delegates arrival."

"An anti-DSEi activists analyses the pros and cons of various types of protest and actions seen at this year's DSEi."

"Some of the choicer moments of yesterday's actions around ExCel came when the people who actually live in the estates neighbouring the centre got involved. Whilst these Reebok Classic clad casuals might not have really cared about protesting against the arms industry (although when asked many did agree with the sentiments of the protestors) they were nevertheless up for some aggro with the police. Who for some reason don't seem very popular around Canning Town."

Photos: "Protestors filled the Trafalgar Square fountains with 'blood' this afternoon, in protest against the DSEi arms fair."

"Docklands Light Railway blocked by activists locked on to trains, Critical Mass action, attempts to lock on to cars to block roads…"

"Civil rights campaigners have condemned the use of anti-terrorism measures against protesters at Europe's biggest arms fair in London [DSEi]. Civil rights group Liberty said it hoped to go to the High Court to challenge the decision by police to ban protesters under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act. A total of 68 people have been arrested in connection with the show since 1 September, including 17 on Tuesday, its opening day, Scotland Yard confirmed. On Wednesday two protesters managed to halt the main public transport route used by delegates to get to the site at the ExCel Centre after chaining themselves to two trains."

"As Europe's biggest arms fair opens in London, BBC News Online takes a look at the importance of the UK defence industry. With annual sales of about £17bn, the industry likes to see itself as a key plank of the UK economy. The industry's biggest customer is the British government, which last year placed orders worth about £13bn. But the UK is also the world's second biggest arms exporter, behind the United States, with a market share of about 20%. It claims to directly employ 350,000, spread over 11,000 firms, with as many as 1.2 million people relying on it for a living. But the industry's opponents, such as the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, take a different view."

"Summary of events from the opening day of DSEi - participating companies get their offices paintballed, red paint spread across the main entrance to the Excel centre, and a demonstration including a giant orange tank."

One of the world’s biggest ever trade fairs for guns, bombs, military planes, small arms, mines and tanks is taking place in London from 9th – 12th September 2003. Due to the volume of news links about this event and related protests, it's now got its own section here.

"On September 11, the defence industry will be commemorating those who died in New York two years ago with a gala dinner in a central London hotel. Here, the world's best weapons makers will be breaking gourmet bread with the world's best weapons buyers, discussing future deals in the safety of a private event, guarded by police lines. The gala dinner is the highlight of Europe's biggest arms fair, Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEI), a five-day weapons expo held in London's Docklands. Indeed, such is the extent of the event's glitziness that the defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, will be its starring guest speaker. The gala date, says Alan Sharman, director general of the Defence Manufacturers Association, the organisers, is pure coincidence. Even if it had not been a coincidence, he says, it would not have been an issue, since a weapons expo dinner is no different from a motor or boat show dinner (his examples). You'd only think it a problem, says Sharman, if you had a problem with the arms fair."

"A samba action has taken place in London at the BAE offices in London just before 9am this morning. An attempt was made to bestow an award to the company. Entry was gained to the foyer by 6 suited anti-arms campaigners. There were two arrests of people using D-locks on tables. The people arrested are now at Charing Cross Police Station where there has been a supportive samba noise demo."

"DSEI attempted to sail 4 warships along the river Thames, through Gallions Reach Lock and into the Royal Victoria Dock near the Excel exhibition centre. 30 activists in three affinity groups succeeded in disrupting the manoeuvre, and the last 2 ships in the convoy aborted their mission and had to stop 7km down stream."

"After applying in July to cover the DSEi 2003 international arms fair being held at London’s Excel centre (9-12 September), Peace News (PN) is disappointed that the organisers – Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd - have refused PN media accreditation to cover this event. Peace News Ltd is a small, independent international antimilitarist print and online publisher. Established in 1936, Peace News has consistently provided coverage of both grassroots activist campaigns and of mainstream stories, from a critical perspective."

"Thousands of activists are due to march to protest against a controversial arms fair [dsei] in London on Saturday. Campaigners against the fair, Europe's largest international arms show, say half of the countries invited to the event next week are not allowed to buy weapons under British law."

"What I saw was about half a dozen small inflatable boats (with cow heads?) making for the swing bridge and the locks. Police presense was obviously massive and I avoided getting close until the action started. … I saw about half a dozen people arrested. They were land support people or perhaps people attempting to lockon to the bridge - impossible to tell but the police did confirm that people had tried to lockon. ... I've heard that one of the other teams (with canoes) outside of the docks, managed to get infront of the ship and delay it for a little while. No further news. Video coming soon..."

A satirical look at DSEI: "I found the weapons of mass destruction. Next week they'll be in London's Docklands, at a vast arms fair. Which sounds almost quaint, as if it's like a record fair, and should be in a school hall on a Sunday afternoon with obsessive collectors flicking through items on a table and asking questions such as: "This anti-personnel land mine on the Lockheed label - I don't suppose you've ever come across one of the originals on green vinyl?" "

"Campaigners against Europe's largest international arms show say half of the countries invited to the event next week are not allowed to buy weapons under British law. The four-day Defence Systems Equipment International (DSEI) show in London's Docklands, which begins on Tuesday 9 September, includes 950 exhibitors, warships on the Thames, helicopters fighter aircraft, tanks and smaller weapons."

"Here's some scanned pages from the official DSEi (arms trade fair) 'pocket preview' - Geoff Hoon's introductory text, delegate accomodation details, and a floorplan."

"Fluffy Protesters Face Ruthless Arms Dealers Thousands of international activists and local citizens are planning to blockade Europe's largest ever arms fair when it opens on 9 September at the ExCeL Centre in the London Docklands. Dressed to impress, protesters will converge at 1pm at the small roundabout under the Connaught Bridge underpass and proceed to peacefully, creatively and artistically block the eastern entrance to the ExCeL centre. The non-violent direct action protest has been coordinated under 'Fluffy DSEI', a one-off umbrella group bringing together many groups and individuals who oppose the arms trade and its impact on communities across the world."

One road blocked by a tripod structure with an activist attached to the top, and another road blocked by a human chain, joined together and attached to traffic lights by metal arm tubes.

"Fluent Inc had their European HQ in Sheffield targeted by anti-war protestors because they are an exhibitor at the DSEi arms fair in London next week. Protestors barricaded themselves in the main entrance revolving door, scaled the entrance canopy to drape a Fluent Deal in Death banner and two protestors locked themselves to the front door with d-locks."

"At 8am this morning, 1st September, a group of 40 activists halted preparations for Europe's largest arms fair, DSEi (Defence Systems and Equipment International), by blocking vehicle access to the site. Both of the roads leading to the conference venue, the ExCel centre in London's Docklands, were blocked. One by two tripod structures and the other by activists linked together using metal arm tubes."

"The action today (lockons and tripods obstructing arrival of tanks etc) got 2.5mins on ITN local london news. There have been a couple of articles, finally triggered by MET police press work warning of possible violence and disruption (why oh why do the corporate media have to wait for the bloody police to warn of a protest like this before they print an article??)"

"Concerns have been raised about an arms exhibition in London that will take place on 11 September. The Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi) fair takes place between 9 - 12 September at the Dockland's Excel Centre in east London. It first took place there two years ago, at the same time as the twin towers were attacked in New York."

"On Thursday 21st August activists occupied the head office of Spearhead, the company organising Europe's largest arms fair, Defence Systems Equipment International (DSEi), while a large banner reading "Spearhead - DSEing with Death!" was hung from the building. Leaflets were also handed out to passers by, and office staff, explaining the role of Spearhead in organising DSEi, and asking staff to consider conscientiously objecting to the event. There were four arrests, but all were later released without charge."

Ironically, this was probably one of the last stories to be posted on the BBC news site before those planes flew into the WTC. "Campaigners have gathered in London to protest against a government backed arms fair. More than 300 people from the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) are staging a peaceful protest to emphasise their opposition to war. They sang songs and waved banners, but hundreds of police and a surveillance helicopter are patrolling the area to respond to any possible tensions which could erupt later when Disarm DSEi - linked to direct action group Reclaim the Streets - march on the site."