10th-16th September saw a week of protests and gatherings to oppose the DSEi arms fair, organised by CAAT, Disarm DSEi, East London Against the Arms Fair and others.
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| One of the highlights of CAAT's mobilisation against the DSEi arms fair was the demonstration. It assembled in East Ham Central Park in the heart of Newham on Tuesday 13th, and by the time it moved off it had around 500 people on it. Many were from London, but some had come from around the UK and even Europe, taking time off work to protest. Carrying colourful CAAT flags or the banners of a range of peace groups, we made our way through East Ham and down towards the ExCel centre. Inside the arms fair, delegations invited by the Ministry of Defence include seven countries in the Foreign Office's 2005 list of the top 20 human rights abusing countries. |
| Left: The demonstration proceeds south towards Docklands.
Right: It then turns west towards the ExCel Centre where the arms fair is being held.
Below: Manchester CAAT lead the demo towards its final destination, as near to the ExCel Centre as the police would let us get... |
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| Left: Inspired artwork which was handed out on the demonstration (bigger version).
Right: Samba band Rhythms of Resistance bring extra colour and music to the protest. |
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Right: Wednesday 14th September saw Critical Mass assembling in the city and riding out east towards the arms fair.
The Independent reports that an Israeli company is advertising cluster bomb components at DSEi despite official claims that cluster bombs are "not even being talked about."
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| Other actions over the week included...
Left: Disarm DSEi's 'baby blockade' on tuesday morning.
Right: CAAT's die-in at the office of arms fair organisers Reed Elsevier, one of several protests there during the week.
For more information on all the protests against DSEi, visit Indymedia. |
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| Left: CAAT organised an anti-DSEi conference which took place on Sunday 11th and on Tuesday 13th, after the demo. Sessions included an introduction to DSEi, debunking the arms trade myths, government-arms industry links, the human effects of UK arms exports (with the Refugee Project), the role of Caterpillar in Palestine (with War on Want) and arms trade corruption. On Sunday we also had banner- and flag-making, and non-violent direct action training. |
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