Housmans Blog

This coming September, the global arms industry intends to descend on East London for one of the world’s largest arms fairs: DSEi. For a taster of what to expect, we only need look at the last event, in 2009. Israel hosted a huge pavilion of its “battle-tested” weaponry, less than a year after its attacks on Gaza. The UK government coorganised the fair, using public money to promote weaponry to an invite list that included the authoritarian regimes of Egypt , Algeria, Libya, and Saudi Arabia.

DSEi publicity boasts that the arms fair in 2011 will be “even bigger” than in previous years.
Campaign Against Arms Trade is calling on all Londoners to help stop the arms fair and ensure that this deadly event is no longer welcome in our city.

Despite every London borough anticipating the effect of cuts to public services, the government actually wants to increase the support it gives to the arms industry.

Join CAAT in saying:

1. Add your voice

We are building a powerful exhibition and lobbying tool, composed of the statements of ordinary people. While the government claims it has “no embarrassment” about pushing arms exports, we want to show that it is massively out-of-step with public opinion.

Londoners’ statements about what outrages them about the arms fair will be used to lobby the London Assembly, London Mayoral candidates and politicians in Westminster.

Add your voice now.

2. Take action with London CAAT and East London Against Arms Fair

DSEi arms fair is owned by Clarion Events, who also own such family-friendly events as the Baby Show and the Holiday and Travel Show. We want to embarrass them into dropping their weapons portfolio, by making sure the visitors and exhibitors to their other fairs know about the link to the weapons trade.

In the year the reality of the arms trade is brought to our doorsteps, please take part in our forthcoming events and actions:

Tomorrow! Sat 5 Feb: Leaflet to show Clarion Events’ more sinister connections
Join London CAAT at this weekend’s Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show.  Most visitors won’t know of the link between the The Holiday & Travel Show and the arms trade – we aim to inform them of this link.  We will be outside the show from 11am till 1pm at Earls Court exhibition centre.

Thur 10 Feb: Not in our Name: Free film screening and action planning
7.30pm, SOAS, Thornhaugh St, London, WC1H 0XG

On the 12th August 2006, during the Israeli military campaign against Lebanon, 9 men stormed an arms factory in Derry, Northern Ireland. They caused an estimated £350,000 worth of damage and were arrested. They denied nothing, yet the jury acquitted them of all charges. Not in our name tells the story of this action and captures the landmark trial that said that resisting war crimes is not a crime.

Join London CAAT for a free screening of this film and short talk by one of CAAT’s campaigners. It will be a great chance to find out more about taking action against the arms trade and to think about DSEi, the world’s biggest arms fair which will be held in London in September 2011. See the trailer here.

Sat 19 & Sun 20 Feb: Highlight the links between the Baby Show and the arms fair
Possibly the most sickeningly incongruous event that Clarion organises alongside its arms portfolio is the Baby Show. Come along to one of the following actions on the weekend it takes place:

• Saturday: East London Against Arms Fair Musical Protest, 2pm ExCel Centre, Western entrance just off Custom House Docklands Light Railway station. See the ELAAF website for more information and details of their monthly meetings.
• Sunday: London CAAT leafleting and action, 11am-1pm ExCel centre, meet at the top of the walkway from Custom house station by the Western Entrance. Email London CAAT to find out more and challenge this unsavoury link.

Tue 15 March: London CAAT meeting for new members
If you haven’t been along before and are interested in taking action with the London CAAT group, come along to this meeting! The agenda is especially designed to introduce the key issues and share ideas with people who haven’t been along before. 6.30pm to 8.30pm, in the upstairs room at Central Station pub on Wharfdale Road near Kings Cross.

Sat 26 March: March for the Alternative
While budgets for building schools have been slashed by two-thirds and public services are under threat across the country, military spending was cut by only 8%. Millions continue to be spent on supporting arms exports to oppressive regimes. Join London CAAT’s contingent on the march to say “This is not OK”: Cut military spending not public services!

Sat 2 April: CAAT Spring Gathering in Reading
Travel with London CAAT to this day-long event in Reading and and go away buzzing with new links to other campaigners, fresh ideas and information, and some top tips. More information here.

Tue 12 April: Global day of action on military spending
Keep your eye on CAAT’s e-bulletin and website for details of plans in London on this day.

3. Stay in touch!

If you would like to receive London CAAT’s reminders of its forthcoming actions, meetings and events, please join the Yahoo group by sending an email to londoncaat-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk or email them with any questions. Contact details for East London Against Arms Fair can be found on the ELAAF website.

Your support is key in growing the campaign to stop the arms fair coming to London. Please forward this email to others who might be interested.

We hope to see you at an event or action soon!