Peace Brigades International-Canada observed the protests against the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair held in the United Kingdom at ExCel London from September 9 to September 12.
DSEI involves more than 1,600 companies exhibiting, with 50+ countries invited including Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the USA.
The Oxford, England-based New Internationalist reports: “Chants of ‘Shut DSEI down’ and ‘when they ask you what you did today, what will you tell your kids?’ rang out as over 500 people representing over 130 campaign groups blocked entrances of the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI UK) event.”
“As the event opened, Israel was flagrantly violating international law with a missile strike on negotiators in Qatar. Israeli arms company Elbit was proudly touting its AI-enabled ‘wide-area persistent surveillance system’. Israel has bragged of using AI systems to target Palestinians in Gaza, including many journalists.”
The New Internationalist article also notes: “During the protest on DSEI’s opening day several protesters were thrown to the floor and bruised as London’s Metropolitan police came down hard. The Met confirmed that three people were arrested, while one person was taken to hospital with an ankle injury.”
Common Dreams further reports: “[London-based Campaign Against Arms Trade] CAAT media coordinator Emily Apple said that the UK has ‘reached peak complicity in genocide in allowing 51 Israeli arms companies [including Elbit Systems, Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries] to exhibit at DSEI.’ ‘It is allowing companies to market their genocide tested weapons to human rights abusing countries around the world,’ Apple added. ‘The people who run these companies are war criminals. They should be investigated for crimes against humanity, not invited to profit from the unspeakable devastation they have caused in Gaza.’”
And The Canary UK highlights: “Mayor of London Sadiq Khan reiterated his opposition to DSEI earlier this year [Mayor ‘appalled’ as London is used as ‘marketplace’ for weapon traders]. He has previously highlighted that London is home to thousands of refugees who have fled the very kinds of weapons now being promoted at the fair.”
Novara Media also produced this 12-minute video report on the protests: Protestors SHAME Arms Fair Attendees in London.
Overall demands
Among the 130+ groups organizing against DSEI were Shut DSEI Down, Stop the Arms Fair, Campaign Against Arms Trade, and Quakers in Britain.
Their overall demands were to 1) Shut DSEI down permanently, 2) impose a full arms and energy embargo on Israel, 3) cut the military budget, and 4) cancel the British government’s £2 billion deal with Elbit Systems.
Quakers oppose DSEI
Quakers in Britain note: “On [September 8] the eve of the arms fair, Quakers joined the Merchants of Death Walk of Witness past the headquarters of two major arms manufacturers, both linked to weapons used in the ongoing bombardment of Gaza, L3 Harris and Northrup Grumman. …[Then on September 9] as people of faith stood in silent protest, arms companies inside continued to strike deals that fuel war, repression, and genocide around the world. …And on [September 10] Quakers visited the headquarters of Clarion Events who organise the arms fair, delivering a demand that they drop the DSEI event.”
The head of witness and worship for Quakers in Britain Oliver Robertson says of the DSEI arms fair: “As Quakers, we worship in silence to listen for the promptings of love and truth in our hearts. That truth is clear: making money from killing people is obscene. Weapons sold here are destroying lives in Gaza and around the world. The real crime is happening inside the arms fair, not outside it.”
Canada at DSEI
The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), the industry association that organizes the annual CANSEC arms show each May in Ottawa, had promoted “Join Canada at DSEI UK 2025”.
The Government of Canada further highlighted: “The Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), in partnership with the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), invites Canadian companies to participate in DSEI 2025, one of the world’s top defence and security exhibitions. The event brings together over 1,600 exhibitors and attracts over 35,000 visitors from over 50 countries.”
The Canadian participation at DSEI included Canada’s High Commissioner to the UK Ralph Goodale, Member of Parliament Steve Fuhr (who is now the Secretary of State for Defence Procurement), the Ontario Business Delegation Roundtable (supported by Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries), CADSI president Christyn Cianfarani, and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
Arming attacks against human rights defenders
The Dublin-based organization Front Line Defenders (the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders) has also documented the killing of 31 Palestinian human rights defenders in 2023 and 2024.
They state “those defending the right to health and the right to life as doctors, nurses, or ambulance workers, those exposing and documenting war crimes as journalists, and those providing humanitarian support as volunteers or employees of aid agencies were all specifically targeted by Israeli bombs or guns.”
Last year, Global Witness (that has offices in London, Brussels and Washington, DC) also signed a statement of concern about “the killing of over 300 Palestinian and international aid workers, and over 1,000 health care workers in Gaza and 95 in Lebanon.”
Whether it be DSEI in London, CANSEC in Ottawa, Eurosatory in Paris, or Land Forces in Australia, there appears to be little attention to or monitoring of the states implicated in human rights violations, repression and war crimes, or the companies that enable these crimes despite international human rights obligations.
We continue to follow this.
