Action History

Every DSEI arms fair has been targeted by numerous direct actions and demonstrations. Here is an (incomplete) list.

A week long action camp helped people come together
Mass blockades of roads over two days in Chertsey forced organisers to announce that they wouldn’t allow people to drive on the Friday and they had to come by train
On the Friday five or six trains were blockaded, including people sitting in roads, car actions, coach actions, tyre actions (in the car parks)
Post-DSEi dinner also targeted: red dye spilt outside and protesters made several incursions into the hotel

(The first DSEI took place at Chertsey in Surrey. After this the arms fair moved to ExCeL in London’s Docklands.)

A CAAT demo at the the West entrance.
March from Canning Town that was surrounded by cops as it massed and crept to the EXCEL
Some blocking of the entrance at Custom House
Critical Mass bike ride
Folk swimming in the dock
Red dye in the fountain at Trafalgar Square
One train stopping action
Mass demo outside the arms dealers’ dinner

Warships coming into docks harassed and temporarily stopped by boats before opening
CAAT demo first day of opening
On the trains: Buddhists communicating with arms dealers, and others selling arms (and legs)
Multiple actions stopping trains all week
“Affinity group” did action inside ExCeL, having booked a stall!
Blockade of East entrance on “fluffy” day (according to non-violent guidelines)
Large moving blockades all day on “no guidelines” day, helped by a roving Critical Mass
Day culminated in an RTS-style street party that was fairly quickly surrounded by police
Rafael (arms dealers) office briefly occupied same day
Various affinity actions also through day and week, including at dealers’ hotels
Mass demo at arms dealers’ Thursday dinner, including Critical Mass
Red dye in the fountains the night of the dinner

Street Party Saturday before opening
Spoof paper delivered around Newham
Attempt to block incoming warship with small boats prevented by cops
CAAT march
Family friendly “Baby Bloc” got close to ExCeL
Day of Blockades, including invasion of Custom House station, road-block with lock-on and car, and roving posses
Mass demo outside arms dealers’ dinner and red dye in fountain
Several effective train actions during the week

About 20 activists attempted to storm DSEi; invaded the car park at ExCeL but didn’t make it inside
London Catholic Workers poured fake blood and enacted a “die-in” at an entrance to the arms fair
Critical Mass bike ride to ExCeL
Space Hijackers’ took a tank to the entrance of the arms fair and “auction” it to the highest bidder
Princess of Wales fountain was dyed blood red to remember victims of cluster bombs
Bikes Not Bombs Critical Mass tried to get to Dorchester Hotel to join demo of about 150 against arms dealers’ dinner

Roving demonstration to target financial institutions that back the arms trade, including RBS, Barclays, Legal & General, Schroders, Lloyds and BT
Banner drops outside Barclays and Legal & General and shoes thrown at both companies
People write messages on window of Legal & General, including including “Wake up, your work kills people”
BT offices invaded
CAAT takes coach-loads of campaigners from ExCeL on an arms trade tour of London, ending at the headquarters of UKTI DSO – the government arms sales departments – where they hold a “fayre“

Protesters in kayaks impeded Navy destroyer HMS Dauntless en route to the arms fair
12 metre “Destroy DSEI” banner hung from cranes opposite ExCeL
Die-in at Custom House DLR station
Mass die-in at BAE Systems headquarters
Arms dealers heckled as they arrived for banquet at the National Gallery

What will you do?