Protest as city hosts ‘arms fair’
PROTESTERS gathered for a second year to oppose a defence industry event taking place in Cardiff.
Several campaign groups, including Cardiff Stop the Arms Fair, protested yesterday as defence experts and international arms manufacturers from around the world met for the exhibition at the Motorpoint Arena.
It is the third time the Defence Procurement, Research, Technology and Exportability (DPRTE) event has been held in Cardiff.
Exhibitors include arms firm BAE Systems and the UK Defence Solutions Centre.
The event is referred to as an “arms fair” by its critics and was previously held in Bristol.
South Wales Police officers were at yesterday’s event to ensure the protest remained largely peaceful and the force said just one arrest was made during the day. Last year six people were arrested.
But several event-goers did have to endure shouts of “murderer” and “shame on you” as they entered and left the arena.
Peter Gordon, 59, from Riverside, said: “I’m here today because I’m appalled by the arms industry and the havoc it wreaks within the world we live in.”
Marie Walsh, from Blackwood, added: “We don’t want them in Cardiff or anywhere. People are making profit of maiming and killing, and that isn’t right.”
Dafydd Griffiths, 73, from the Fellowship of Reconciliation, said: “We don’t approve of what is going on here. It causes more problems, especially in the wake of what happened in London.
“We are not tackling the real problem of terrorism correctly.”
Jane Harries, 67, from Bridgend, claimed the protesters were trying to reason with the people attending the event.
“People have tried to engage with the people going in which is positive. It’s important they understand why we are here,” she said.
One attendee at the event, who did not want to be named, said: “They’re protesting the wrong thing. There are no guns in there.”
A spokesman for BiP Solutions, the organisers of the DPRTE show, said the event did “not deal in the trading of armaments”.
He said the event is instead designed to support suppliers to the UK’s defence procurement industry
He said: “The DPRTE exhibition will help businesses to discover how they can capitalise on the UK government’s target to ensure 25% of defence procurement spending goes to small to medium enterprises. Currently MoD spending plans outline £178bn of investment in new technology and equipment between 2016 and 2026 and a commitment to meet Nato’s target of spending 2% of national income on defence every year until 2020.
“Public sector attendees include MoD, local councils, central government departments, universities/colleges, housing associations, emergency services and international government organisations.”