No to Nuclear Weapons: No to the Arms Fair

Nuclear weapons don’t make us safer: they threaten all our lives. Trident is estimated to cost the UK over £205 billion and is draining vital public resources away from the things in which we need to invest: schools, hospitals and social services. We are spending billions to kill millions. The arms companies that profit from nuclear weapons and drain our resources away from us plan to be present at the arms fair. Join Trident Ploughshares and regional CND groups on Wednesday 6th September to stop military equipment from being moved into the arms fair during the set-up and for fun, family-friendly activities including a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and singers.

As well as nonviolent direct action, there will be a lot to get involved with including demonstrating, creative stunts, media work and general support. Just let us know what you are up for.

There will be accommodation available in East London (bring a sleeping bag) with the opportunity to attend training and form affinity groups and transport is being arranged from the North of England and possibly Scotland. Please get in touch if you are likely to need accommodation or to book your place on a bus down from the North.  Buses leaving in the afternoon of Tuesday 5th September from Bradford, Leeds and Sheffield Meadowhall and returning on Wednesday evening can be booked directly online.

If you’d like to get involved, please fill out this quick survey, join our Facebook event or get in touch at [email protected].

Use the Royal Victoria Docklands Light Railway station for the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and singers (people will gather from around 10 am somewhere in the vicinity of the West Gate of the ExCel Centre) and the Prince Regent Docklands Light Railway Station for other anti-nuclear actions at the East Gate of the ExCel Centre, where we will be joined by Arms to Renewables.

If you are joining the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party you may wish to come dressed as a playing card or other character from Alice in Wonderland.

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Get ready to #StopDSEI 2019!

2 July 2019
Every two years, the global arms trade comes to London. DSEI, one of the world’s largest arms fairs, returns in September 2019. This is where those who profit from war, repression and injustice do business. This is where we can stop them. More than 1,000 arms companies plan to set up shop, marketing their wares...
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Blocking and exposing the arms fair in 2017

10 September 2018
DSEI (Defence & Security Equipment International) is one of the world’s largest arms fairs. Hundreds of people got in the way of its set-up at London’s ExCeL Centre in September 2017. Dabke-dancing, aerobics, a gig on a flatbed truck, abseilers dangling from a bridge, theatre, military veterans undertaking unofficial vehicle checks for banned weapons, Kurdish...
A person stands in the foreground holding a placard reading 'nuclear bombs point of delivery'. There is a red silhouette of a bomb pointing down at two figures silhouetted in black. An adult figure is crouched over a child. Also silhouetted in the background are a tank and two dead trees. The bottom of the banner reads 'Quaker Peace and Social Witness www.quakers.org.uk/qpsw'. The background of the photo is out of focus but a crowd of people can be seen standing in the road and on the pavement in front of a stationery lorry.

‘No to Nuclear’ day

18 August 2017
This year Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is working with Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) and Trident Ploughshares to organise a ‘No to Nuclear’ day at the DSEI arms fair in London. Matt Fawcett from Yorkshire CND explains. The Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) is the world’s largest arms fair, held in London every...
A crowd of activists hold a banner in front of the Excel centre. It says When only 0.2% of jobs in the UK are related to arms exports #stopDSEI

Manchester activists plan to disrupt weapons sales at DSEI, the world’s biggest arms fair

8 August 2017
Military delegations from around the world will head to London for Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) – the world’s biggest arms fair – on the 12-15 September. Many of these delegations will be from countries with abominable human rights records. At DSEI, they will meet weapons industry salespeople who will have filled the ExCeL...
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Activist due to appear in court for Lockheed Martin protest

18 November 2015
An activist is due to appear in court on Tuesday 24 November for an action at Lockheed Martin’s London offices during the DSEI arms fair. There will be a solidarity presence outside the court from 9am Where: Westminster Magistrates Court, 181 Marylebone Road NW1 5BR When: Tuesday 24 November, 9am

A year of protest against the arms trade

20 December 2013
When tackling the systems that perpetuate conflict, repression and inequality, change doesn’t come quickly, so it’s important to remind ourselves of our achievements along the way. 2013 was a brilliant year for anti-arms trade activism: Arms trade networking events were challenged wherever they took place; a wide range of groups took part in an amazing...
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On Trial: Defendants group statement

11 November 2013
We will defend our right to challenge the arms trade! A group of activists (mainly women) were charged after taking part in the ‘Occupy v the Arms Fair’ day of action on 8 September, which was part of the week of action against the DSEI Arms Fair at the Excel Centre, London. Our intention was...

Everything you ever wanted to know about the arms fair

7 September 2013
Over the past few months, we’ve collected some gems on our blog. Naturally, we didn’t want you to miss out, so see below for a categorised list of posts to whet your lips before the arms fair starts… Intersections with other struggles Palestine: The UK’s dirty secrets: Palestine and the arms trade // Israel’s booming...