I got pulled by a unmarked van full of cops while riding Pedals to Beckton Park on Saturday but I got there in the end and once we started playing some tunes more people arrived for the party - see my report. Here is a timeline of the event on Indymedia with links to photos and a video.
In Controversial arms fair to start the BBC report that The Lancet last week criticised its own publisher, Reed Elsevier, for owning Spearhead Exhibitions who run DSEi.
On Saturday there will be an outdoor party somewhere in the vicinity of the ExCeL centre in Docklands. Details are a bit sketchy but there are a few soundsystems expected. If anyone wants to cycle out there then there will be some people leaving from RampART at 12:00 and it would be nice to have more. For details of the event see www.disarm-trade.org
Not long to go now and preparations must be well under way for DSEi 2005. The only thing I have planned at the moment is to join up with a bunch of cyclists who will be assembling at 08:30 on the 14th outside Bank tube station.
For a (partial) list of other protests check out this page at CAAT.
I was one of approximately 50 people who attended the public meeting today at Conway Hall. Planning for DSEi has been hampered by the fact that so many people had been focusing on the G8 Summit, but the good turnout was a positive sign and hopefully this year's event will draw a lively response.
There will be a Disarm DSEi public meeting at 14:00 on 2005-07-30 in the Bertrand Russel Room, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1.
I am too busy to get involved with anything right now, but if you have time on your hands, how about the Farnborough Airshow? For details, go to the Disarm DSEi website and look at upcoming actions and events.
Newham council has passes a motion opposing DSEi and affirming a future without weapons (the venue for DSEi is located within the borough of Newham).
Disarm DSEi have invited people to celebrate Mayday with Mr. Bob Munton, Chief Executive of Spearhead Exhibitions ltd. Celebrations kick off at 08:30 on 2004-04-30 at Apex Tower, opposite New Malden Station.
There is a Disarm DSEi meeting tomorrow at Cathays Community Centre in Cardiff, and an action planned for Tuesday morning at the main entrance to ExCeL in Docklands - details available at the all new Disarm DSEi 2005 website.
Early on Monday morning the offices of Spearhead (organisers of DSEi) were apparently redecorated by protesters who splattered red paint, glued locks and put up posters. Did the police know that something like this was being planned? That would explain the heavy surveillance at the RFH meeting - could just be the old paranoia though! I also wonder what implications this will have for policing of Tuesday's action?
I had arranged to meet some friends last night for a birthday drink at the Royal Festival Hall bar but hadn't realised that Brian Wilson was playing. I was not surprised by the police presence though - they were obviously here on an intelligence gathering mission. The photographers are tall and wear black baseball caps - didn't make it in the fashion industry so I am told. Now they now mingle with Beach Boys fans, searching for their quarry, a dangerous gang of pacifists who were rumoured to be at large. The police obviously have their finger on the pulse and had managed to get advance warning of this publicly announced open meeting, but how could they tell whether someone was here to discuss plans for disrupting DSEi 2005 or to groove to Barbara Ann? Well, once the gong went to call the punters to the concert hall it all became clear. I could see the conspirators had gathered around a couple of tables and the police homed in, snapping away like sinister paparazi. Don't they have any work to do? Like solving crime or whatever it is that we are forced to pay taxes for.
www.zenatode.org.uk Ian Gregory 2010