Yesterday, anti arms-trade campaigners occupied the office of Veronis Suhler Stevenson, the owners of Clarion Events. Clarion is the organiser for a number of major arms trade events, including the DSEI arms fair, which will take place in London in September 2015.
The occupation was part of a wider campaign against Clarion Events and the arms fairs it organises. It took place in response to reports that the company has been put up for sale but that so far other event organisers, such as UBM and Informa, have opted not to put in a bid. This is believed to be due to Clarion’s involvement in the arms trade.
The action was aimed at potential buyers and took place as staff were arriving to work, lasted about half an hour. Campaigners held a mock auction of Clarion Events, drawing attention to the deadly impact of its work. Imitating real life, no buyers could be found. Drums, songs and chants meant business as usual was a challenge for those working in the building.
Anne-Marie O’Reilly of Stop the Arms Fair said:
We occupied the offices of Clarion’s owners today with the promise that if you buy Clarion, you’ll get us free. The horrific consequences of the arms trade should be enough to deter potential buyers, but we also want to make it clear that any buyers will have us to contend with.
The arms trade is an illegitimate trade and companies like Clarion that support it are profiting from war and conflict. We want to make clear to any prospective buyers that arms fairs are not just morally bankrupt, they’re also bad for your brand and bad for your business.
In 2007 DSEI’s former owners Reed Elsevier finally announced it would sell DSEI after a successful public campaign forced it to admit that defence shows are no longer compatible
with its position. Clarion bought the event in 2008 and has since acquired numerous other arms trade events.
A video of the occupation is available to view. Photos from the occupation are available to download.
ENDS
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297.
