diary of campaigners against the arms trade
The Three Counties Defence and Security Arms fair in Malvern in July hosted some of the world’s biggest manufacturers of weaponry, including BAE Systems and Thales. This is business at a massive cost – a human, environmental, and social disaster. But local activists were there to challenge it.
If you’re a Malvern local and interested in further action, email kat(at)caat.org.uk to get in touch with the group.
Continue reading “Malvern activists challenge arms fair!”
The organisers of the DPRTE arms fair made the decision to move their event to the ‘high security’ Farnborough International Ltd. so that they could go about their ghastly business unimpeded. On the 28th March, we set about making sure that those in attendance received the iciest reception Rushmoor had to offer.
Continue reading “#StopDPRTE ‘19 – Farnborough Action Report”
Owen from Greater Rushmoor Against War speaks out about the arms fair happening right on their doorstep- and tells you how you can support the campaign and the Day of Action on March 28th.
Follow the Greater Rushmoor Against War group on Facebook and Twitter.
If you wanted evidence of just how effective sustained protest against the arms trade can be, look no further than the campaign run by Birmingham Stop the Arms Fair. With the promise of a day of creative action à la prior protests in Cardiff and Bristol, Birmingham NEC were pressured into stating that it was ‘more appropriate for DPRTE to be hosted at a more self-contained venue.’ The fact that this arms fair cannot be held in public space anymore is testimony to the general antipathy the general public holds for this amoral trade. It is for this reason that DPRTE 2019 now finds itself behind the chainlink fence of the ‘high security’ Farnborough Exposition and Conference Centre.
Continue reading “Not Welcome in Farnborough, Not Welcome Anywhere #StopDPRTE”
In 2015, a group of eight activists were arrested while taking action against the DSEI arms fair, and later acquitted as a judge ruled they took action to prevent a greater crime. The Winter Oak reports on the CPS challenge to their acquittal- you can read a longer version of this article at winteroak.org.uk.
In a judgement handed down today (Friday July 14 2017), the High Court overturned the acquittal of eight anti-militarists for disrupting the setup of the DSEI arms fair in 2015. Nevertheless, it ruled that in the interests of justice, none of the activists would be re-tried or face costs.
Continue reading ““It is up to each of us to stop the killing where it starts”: No retrial for Stop DSEI activists”
Quaker activist Sam Walton and Rev Daniel Woodhouse have pled ‘Not Guilty’ to criminal damage at their pre-trial hearing, and called for further action to Stop Arming Saudi. Sam Walton reports.
Back in January we broke into BAE System’s Warton Airbase to try and disarm warplanes they are selling to the Saudis. The Saudi are using those planes in their bombing campaign that is devastating Yemen. We had to take action to prevent crimes against humanity.
Continue reading “Stop Arming Saudi activists call for further action”
In late 2016, Auckland Peace Action (APA) organised a successful week of action against the New Zealand Defence Industry Association’s annual weapons expo in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Arms dealers found themselves locked out of the venue by the blockades. You can read more about their actions on the Peace Action Wellington blog, and in APA’s report.
Tom Anderson – an anti-militarist writer from Shoal Collective – interviewed Valerie Morse from APA about the group and the week of action. This interview is the second in a two part series about anti-militarism in Aotearoa. See part one here.
Content Note: Discussion of police violence/sexual assault.
Continue reading “Resisting the Arms Trade in Aotearoa/New Zealand – Part Two”
Journalists within Saudi often face persecution, but two Saudi nationals based in the UK have started a new media channel with the aim of “building bridges between the people of Arabia and the people around the world”. Their first post to inaugurate the channel is a report on a recent meeting on arms sales to Saudi in Bolton.
You can watch their video report of the event below, and follow them on twitter @Mngro_com.
Continue reading ““The situation in Yemen is catastrophic. We must act””
On March 28th 2017, the DPRTE arms fair will return to the Motopoint Arena in Cardiff for the third time. Join a day of action against the arms fair on 28 March, and show the arms industry there’s no welcome for it in Wales.
Continue reading “Stop the Cardiff arms fair!”
In November 2016, activists in Aoteara/New Zealand were on the streets to target a weapons expo in Auckland, and arms dealers found themselves locked out of the venue by the blockades. You can read more about their actions on their blog, and in Auckland Peace Action’s report.
In January 2017, Eliza Egret and Tom Anderson – anti-militarist writers from Shoal Collective – met up with Sean and Laura from Peace Action Wellington (PAW) in Aotearoa/New Zealand and PAW explained the tactics that they have used to confront the arms trade. This interview is the first of two that will be published about anti-militarism in Aotearoa.
Continue reading “Resisting the Arms Trade in Aotearoa/New Zealand”
Activists released on bail after attempt to disarm BAE fighter jets bound for Saudi Arabia.
Daniel Woodhouse, a Methodist minister from Leeds, and Quaker activist Sam Walton have been released on bail pending charges after breaking into BAE’s Warton site. The pair were arrested at BAE Systems’ airbase in Warton, Lancashire, in the early hours of Sunday 29 January after entering BAE Systems’ Warton site in order to disarm warplanes bound for Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft are part of a multi-billion pound deal between BAE Systems and the Saudi regime, and were due to be shipped to Saudi Arabia within weeks. Their action came as a panel of UN experts warned that the devastating Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen, which have caused a humanitarian catastrophe, may be part of “a broader policy of attrition against civilian infrastructure” which may “amount to war crimes.”
Continue reading “BAE Arms: Saudi Kills”
