Tank the Arms Fair – Resisting the DSEI Arms Fair Day of Action

When

Tuesday 14 September 2021

08:00 - 22:00

Where

ExCeL Centre West, near The Crystal, Seagull Lane (DLR: Royal Victoria)
ExCeL Centre West, near The Crystal, Seagull Lane, London, E16 1GB

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Tank the Arms Fair is a big day of action to resist and disrupt the opening of the DSEI arms fair.

This day of action will take place at the *west* entrance to the arms fair (nearest station Royal Victoria DLR) on its opening day, as state and military delegations from 100+ countries arrive to browse the weaponry on sale – from guns to bombs to fighter jets and warships – to listen to keynote speakers, to be entertained by live action demos in the Royal Victoria Dock, and most of all to network and make deals.

Head straight to the site from 8am as the day begins with a remembrance ceremony for all victims of war and the laying of a wreath of white poppies at the gates of the arms fair. Alternatively, meet Trident Ploughshares, Mad Hatters and Veterans for Peace – joined by renowned fashion designer Vivienne Westwood! – at Stratford Station (*not* Stratford International) to walk to the site, talking to East Londoners they pass along the way about the huge arms fair taking place on their doorstep.

On site there will be speakers including Vivienne Westwood and Kate Hudson (CND), Yemeni activist Ahmed al-Babati, Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei from the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) and speakers talking about the Boycott Turkey – Defend Kurdistan! and #StopElbit campaigns.

There will be a Quaker Meeting for Worship, a dabke dance workshop and performance from Hawiyya, music from musicians including Raised Voices, Paul Steele and Spannertate, poetry from Mizan the Poet, crafts, banner-making and much more.

Friends of Al-Aqsa will host a creative gallery designed to capture the destruction caused in Gaza by Israeli weapons from 3pm, followed by a #StopArmingIsrael demonstration at 6pm to protest the attendance of Israeli arms companies at DSEI.

Click attending on and share the Facebook event!

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Get off at Royal Victoria DLR (on the ExCeL side of the station).

TIME	SPEAKER/PERFORMER	ORGANISATION
8:00	Remembering victims of war at the West Gate Pedestrian entrance of ExCel	Peace Pledge Union
9:00	Meeting for worship (until 10am)	Quakers
10:00	Kirsten Bayes – CAAT	CAAT
10:30	Amina Atiq – playing of her poem Dried Cherries
11:00	Elbit Actions	Stop Elbit
11:30	All African Woman’s Group
12:00	Raised Voices – Protest Choir	Raised Voices
13:00	Vivienne Westwood and Kate Hudson (CND)
13:30	Paul Steele	Musician
14:00	Boycott Turkey – Defend Kurdistan
14:00	Quaker meeting for worship near ExCel (until 3pm)	Quaker Roots
14:30	Hastings Craftivists
15:00	Ahmed Al-Batati	Stand for Justice
16:00	Maya Evans	Afghanistan Peace Project
16:30	Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei	Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy
18:00	Friends of Al-Aqsa Protest	FOA
18:30	Dabke Dance Workshop	Hawiyya
19:00	Dabke Dance Performance	Hawiyya
19:30	Spannertate – folk duo
21:00………………..	Mizan the Poet

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Information about transport to the site and accessibility. If you need to know information that is not currently on this page, or to let us know about an access need, get in touch at resistDSEI@protonmail.com.

We urge those coming to any action to be COVID-safe, to protect our community and make this protest accessible to all. Please take a test before coming, bring sanitiser and respect those who want to social distance. Bring your own water bottle and mugs to get drinks on site!

Information about your legal rights on protests. Take the time to learn your rights before attending the week of action, for your own protection and the protection of those around you.

***IMPORTANT***

It is crucial that everyone joining this wonderful week of resistance adheres to the Stop the Arms Fair Safer Spaces Policy. Please also take a look at Campaign Against Arms Trade’s Action Guidelines on interactions with the police – who protect the arms trade, are part of the arms trade, and are institutionally racist – and on directing our protest at the arms industry (and so being mindful of the local community!).

Green and Black Cross will be coordinating legal observers throughout the week of action.