CLARION UP THE ARM'S FAIR

Santas, reindeers and elves protested at Clarion Event’s ‘Spirit of Christmas Fair’ in London last week, to expose Clarion’s involvement with the international arms trade. Leaflets detailing this and placards reading, ‘Bells not bombs,’ diverted shoppers from their frenzy of consumerism.

Clarion, one of the UK’s largest events companies, expanded into the lucrative defence and security sector this year, taking over five arms fairs: Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi)*, Latin American Aerospace and Defence , ITEC and undersea defence exhibitors UDT-Europe and UDT-Asia Pacific.

Meanwhile the Baby Show, another Clarion Event, saw a backlash last month as sponsors Bounty (makers of Huggies nappies), withdrew from the exhibition and Unicef refused to accept donations from the ticket sales after Clarion’s links with the arms trade became evident.

Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) are targeting Clarion Events, with spokesperson Symon Hill saying, “It is beyond satire for a company to celebrate the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ while making profits from the arms trade. Clarion’s bosses seem to be the only people who don’t find it absurd.”

* DSEi is one of the world’s largest arms fairs, held every other September at the ExCel Centre in East London (See SchNEWS 604, 321). The last time saw 1,352 exhibitors flogging weapons to warwongers from over 40 countries – and the usual round of protests, the most memorable being in 2001 when it was the same day as 9-11. The next one will be Sept 8th-11th 2009 (see www.dsei.org).

CAAT are holding regular musical demos at the ExCel Exhibition Centre, Off Custom House DLR Station, with one on November 22nd 1pm-4pm.

elaaf@hotmail.co.uk or see www.caat.org.uk