British Christians against arms fair

This video from England says about itself:

How to pay a visit to your local arms company (as a grim reaper!)

Aug 20, 2013

Conflict, repression and destruction around the world are fuelled by weapons and components made all across the UK. In September 2013, the world’s arms industry arrives in London for a huge arms fair. The arms fair welcomes:

* The world’s worst human rights abusing regimes
* The Russian arms suppliers to Syrian President Assad
* The companies supplying teargas used in Turkey, Brazil and Bahrain
* Israeli companies displaying “battle-tested” weapons

Expose and challenge the arms companies on your doorstep: here.

Take part in a mass action on Sunday 8th September at 12 noon: here.

By Will Stone in Britain:

Christians cross with ‘evil’ arms

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Six national Christian campaign groups have backed direct action against a huge London arms fair next month.

The Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEi) event takes place at London’s Excel Centre from September 10 to 13.

Non-violent direct action to disrupt the arms fair is “a moral response to the evil of the arms trade,” said the groups that include anti-capitalist network Christianity Uncut and the Christian wings of the Campaign Against Arms Trade and the CND.

Christianity Uncut’s Nicola Sleap, also a disability rights campaigner, criticised the government for “putting billions into military spending and subsidising an arms fair” while at the same time “slashing support for disabled people, cutting public services and reducing benefits.”

Churches are also being encouraged to observe Stop the Arms Trade Day of Prayer on the Sunday before the fair.

DSEi, which takes place every two years, is one of the world’s largest arms fairs. Representatives of governments around the globe attend at the invitation of British ministers.

Regular guests include the human rights abusing regimes of Bahrain, Colombia, Indonesia, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The six Christian groups, completed by the Ekklesia thinktank, the Student Christian Movement and the Fellowship of Reconciliation (England), say that many of the exhibitors at DSEi will also gain financially from the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons system and will be lobbying for its replacement.

Courageous campaigners take up the mantle against sellers of torture devices after authorities refuse to act. Determined activists hauled arms traders in front of the courts yesterday in a private prosecution over their attempts to flog illegal weapons in London: here.

Related articles

• Peaceful interruption at British war profiteers’ dinner
• London merchants of death fair hindered by peace activists

• Six Christian groups back direct action against London arms fair (christianityuncut.wordpress.com)
• Egyptian massacre, with British weapons? (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• UK arms sales to Egypt (makewealthhistory.org)
• Select Committee: “British vehicles facilitated extreme violence against civilians in Bahrain” (newleftproject.org)
• British parliamentary Saudi Arabia, Bahrain inquiry hindered by arms trade (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Hacking the Arms Trade (schoolofdata.org)
• BAE merchants of death corruption scandal (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• UK urged to stop all arms exports to Egypt (theguardian.com)