Exterminate!: an arms dealer Dalek joins the Greens picket line of (from left) Caroline Russell, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, Croydon’s Ria Patel and Zoe Garbett (Hackney)
Ria Patel, one of Croydon’s Green Party councillors, was part of a sit-down protest in Docklands yesterday at the start of a two-week picket of DSEI – Defence and Security Equipment International – one of the world’s largest arms fairs.
Fairfield ward councillor Patel was joined outside the ExCel Centre by fellow Green councillors from Islington and Hackney, including two London Assembly Members – Caroline Russell and Zoe Garbett – plus, someone dressed up as a Dalek arms dealer in death and destruction.
The councillors were holding signs that said: “Stop The Arms Fair #StopDSEI”
The British government has in the past invited official delegations from countries on its own human rights watch list, and exhibitors that have been exposed for promoting weapons and equipment, such as cluster bombs and leg-irons, which are illegal under international law.
Death for sale: DSEI opens at ExCel on September 9
Last week, the organisers of DSEI pulled a listing of Israel’s pavilion at the arms fair from its website, though it is still listed in its “international pavilions and participating countries” page.
International pavilions allow a country to advertise its “battle-tested” weaponry.
The Israeli government continues to break international law and carry out a devastating assault on the people and civilian infrastructure of Gaza.
Israeli arms companies such as Elbit Systems, Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries and Uvision will still be allowed to attend the arms fair in London to tour for business.
“War starts right here on our doorstep,” said Councillor Patel, “and we have the power to shut down this disgusting event.”
Councillor Patel says that over the next two weeks of protest, some will attempt to disrupt the setting up of the event, with a huge protest planned for next Tuesday, September 9, when the Excel Centre opens its doors to the merchants of death and destruction.
“Those who wish to profit from misery, destruction and death are not welcome here,” said Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, a Green Party councillor in Hackney.
“It’s outrageous that the government is rolling out the blood-red carpet for regimes like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, who have terrible records on human rights.”
Inside Croydon interviewed Zack Polanski last year, ahead of the London Elections. Polanski has today been named as the new leader of the Green Party. You can listen to what he had to say about London, and Croydon, by clicking here for our Under The Flyover podcast
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There are two arguments here, one I can see the logic of, yes it is outrageous that we are complicit in the sales of weapons to some regimes. Similarly some weapons should not be here, as per previous Amnesty International demands.
However the second argument, “those who wish to profit… are not welcome here” is problematic, the more so as it is presented as being Green Party policy. The Green Party is not a pacifist organisation, it does believe in the UK being able to defend itself, belong to NATO etc. So why shouldn’t we make weapons here and if we can make a profit in so doing, as per current warships to Norway contract, good for us as a country and for those thousands employed in making the weaponry.
“So why shouldn’t we make weapons here and if we can make a profit in so doing, good for us”.
Not so good for the people on the receiving end of the weapons, Peter.
Try thinking about the unarmed people in Gaza being attacked and slaughtered every day by Israel, the civilians caught up in Saudi Arabia’s attacks on Yemen, the poor and indigenous people in Brazil attacked by the police and armed forces.
And if that doesn’t move you, remember how the IRA bombed and shot people in this country using explosives and weapons that somebody somewhere made for a profit
What moves me Arfur is reading how easily a fascist dictator almost won WWII because of the military unpreparedness of most of Europe. Si vis pacem, para bellum is as true today as in Roman times.
Trite tripe, with a flourish of BoJo bolleaux to round it off
The Greens’ new leader is a hypnotherapist who once told a Sun reporter she could ‘think her breasts bigger’