Detail from installation by artist Banksy, entitled Civilian Drone Strike, on display at the Arms Fair art exhibition set up in opposition to the Defence Security Equipment International 2017 (DSEI) - at Capstan House in east London. Yui Mok/Press Association. All rights reserved. This September, “one of the world’s largest arms fair”, DSEi (Defence & Security Equipment International) took place in the ExCel Centre in London. States with horrific records of human right abuses, violation of international law and support for ethnic cleansing and genocide were invited to “shop” for the latest weapons.
For many years now, activists have protested this biennial DSEi arms fair. This year, as part of Stop the Arms Fair, a rare coalition of campaigners, academics, faith groups, poets, musicians, artists and supporters came together using creative and educational means to protest the literal showcasing and selling of arms.
This productive, collaborative protest adopted a different campaign focus on different days of the fair; each time shedding light on a key issue such as the sale of arms to Israel or the sale of arms and technology for use against migrants.
