Peace campaigners protest arms fair at Birmingham NEC

Peace campaigners have held two days of protest to call attention to a controversial arms fair hosted by Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

There were no arrests outside the Specialist Defence and Security Convention (SDSC-UK) on 3-4 February. Although two protesters were carried off the site.

Actions by around 60 protesters included a mock drone attack ‘die-in’, street theatre from the Red Rebels, a silent vigil led by Quakers, interfaith prayers and drumming.

Arms fair ‘not welcome’

The Stop SDSC-UK campaign includes Quakers, Campaign Against Arms Trade and others. A spokesperson for the campaign said:

The SDSC-UK isn’t just another exhibition, it’s a showcase for companies that profit from war, human suffering, and corruption.

Weapons sold here end up being used against civilians in conflicts from Yemen to Gaza. This is not welcome in our city.

The SDSC-UK has faced protests in every community it has visited. Campaigners forced previous events out of the Three Counties Showground in 2023 and the Telford International Centre in 2025.

Notorious exhibitors at the arms fair have included:

• Thales, linked to arms used against civilians in West Papua and breaches of sanctions against Russia.
• BAE Systems, whose fighter-bombers have been used in Yemen and whose deals have been tied to massive bribery scandals.
• Qioptiq / Excelitas, providing military optics to regimes known for human rights abuses.
• L3 Harris, whose bomb racks have seen use in conflicts in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, and Libya.
• Elbit Systems, a key part of Israel’s drone fleet involved in attacks condemned as potential genocide in Gaza.

An open letter to Paul Reeve, CEO of the NEC Group, signed by over 400 individuals and 30 organisations including Pax Christi and the Peace Pledge Union. Their Peace Dove mascot delivered it to the NEC on 21 January.

In their letter, the campaigners said hosting the arms fair goes against the NEC’s stated commitment to honest, ethical business.

The UK arms industry alone emits over 1.4m tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. And it has links to nearly half of all international trade corruption cases.

The spokesperson added:

The NEC cannot claim to be a responsible, ethical venue while hosting an event that fuels oppression and destruction around the world.

Campaigners are calling on the NEC to refuse to host the next SDSC-UK.

Featured image via Hugh Warwick / Flickr