International Solidarity

As the arms trade is international, so is our resistance.

The arms fair is set to take place in London’s Docklands but the weapons sold here will end up in the hands of authoritarian rulers and invading armies across the world. The last time the arms fair took place in 2015, hundreds of international exhibitors set up shop to sell arms to delegations from the over sixty countries invited to attend by the UK government, including human-rights abusers and six countries actually at war. War starts here. But as the arms trade is international, so is our resistance. An international movement is growing and resisting arms fairs the world over. We are joining together in solidarity to say: War stops here.

On Sunday 10th September, activists from War Resisters’ International will be leading a public education day on the arms trade at the gates of the arms fair. This is a great chance to hear from antimilitarist activists from around the world, including from countries where the repercussions of the weapons marketed at DSEI will be felt. There will be talks and workshops on campaign strategy, nonviolent direct action, creative campaigning and using legal mechanisms to disrupt the flow of arms to conflict zones. Find out more here.

19 posts
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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...
Jungmin, wearing a white patterned shirt, stands in front of a black, metal garage door set in a brick wall behind several plants growing in pots

Jungmin from South Korea on why she will be joining the action against the London arms fair

18 August 2017
Jungmin from South Korea’s World Without War on why she will be joining the action against the London arms fair this September.
Four people facing the camera link arms in a darkened room

Solidarity from New Zealand with everyone shutting down the London arms fair this September

18 August 2017
Solidarity from activists from Auckland Peace Action and Peace Action Wellington organising against October’s weapons expo in Wellington with everyone shutting down the London arms fair this September.
A crowd of protesters block vehicle from entering DSEI

Round up: an amazing week of action to challenge the arms fair!

17 September 2015
This September saw daily blockades and creative protest by a wide range of groups to try and stop one of the world’s biggest arms fairs from taking place in East London. Read reports on actions taken so far below: Monday 7 September: Day 1: week of action launched with a blockade! Tuesday 8 September: Day 2: armoured...

Arms fair blocked! Report on Saturday’s big day of action

12 September 2015
Following five days of disruption to the set up of DSEI, Saturday 12th September brought together the different themes from throughout the week, and a huge range of groups and individuals, to stand united against the arms fair. It was a packed day of workshops, speeches, performance, and effective action. There was far too much activity...
A black person with short hair, a grey t shirt and grey jeans speaks into a microphone in front of a banner which reads "Refugees welcome not arms dealers"

Migration and institutional racism: statement by Black Dissidents

11 September 2015
Speech read by a member of Black Dissidents during the ‘Free Movement for People, Not Weapons’ day of action Responsibility of the trade of arms falls on the entire G8, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the United States. It is no surprise that these countries facilitate the movement of people freely, the...
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Our resistance is as international as the arms trade!

25 May 2015
Take action against one of the world’s largest arms fairs on 7-12 September 2015 The Defence & Security Equipment International arms fair (DSEI) sells everything from bullets to battleships, bringing together 1500 arms companies and representatives from over 100 countries. The results of DSEI are felt around the world as people are killed, economies are...

Arms fair challenged with daily direct action

14 September 2013
See photos of many of the week’s actions here. A key event for the international arms trade took place in London from 9-13 Sept: the DSEI arms fair which hosted 1500 arms companies and 30,000 arms buyers and sellers. The UK government’s invite list was a roll call of authoritarian regimes and human rights abusers....