The Liverpool Arms Fair and the Opposition its Facing

Today in Liverpool there are protests taking place over the controversial Liverpool Arms Fair that started on the 11^th and will end on the 13^th. The Antique Arms and Militaria Exhibitions also known as ‘The Arms Fair’ is a fair that shows antique and vintage guns along with uniforms and other weapons like bayonets. The issue that the protesters have is not just the celebration of weapons, that they are already opposed to, but also that many of these manufactures whose goods will be displayed and sold at the fair are involved in human rights violations. These manufacturers have made and sold weapons like drones for ‘target assassinations’, and cluster bombs that have killed many people in Afghanistan, Yemen and Gaza which have had devastating effects on people’s lives. This is the protesters’ chance to stand against the cruelty one sees on the news and let these manufactures know that what they do isn’t ignored and that they need to stop.

Part of this comes with the events that have taken place over the past few years like the wars in Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria, and a growth in anti-war campaigns. These views and attitudes are displayed in the protest as a variety of protesters hold up signs that read ‘stop arming Israel’ and ‘we don’t want another bloody war’. We live in a time now where we want to stand against all injustice, that even if it doesn’t directly affect us, we still need to fight for people’s rights. It is this mentality and determination that is what has caused this opposition and protest to the fair.

The protest, however, has not gone as smoothly as one would assume. There is a large force of police officers who are trying to keep the protest at bay with shouting, people climbing on to the roof and many trying to cause damage. Currently six people have been arrested for conspiracy to commit criminal damage, obstructing a police officer, and displaying behaviour that some suspected as posing a threat to others. They are not the only ones however who are opposed to the Arms Fair, Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside is completely outraged by the arrival of the fair and states on her Twitter that it is “a shameful day for Liverpool” and that they “need to ensure that no such event takes place” in their city again.

Protesters of the fair did get in contact with the council to ask the even to be cancelled but were met with resistance. For many they don’t want their city to be involved in such an event where there is a clear celebration of weapons and businesses that are responsible for the death of many.