Bricks Not Bombs

Local residents call for family-friendly events instead of weapons dealing in Telford

Security manager claims arms fair has left Telford

Campaigners greeted families attending the "National Brick Event" (lego exhibition) at Telford International Centre today and invited them to sign a petition calling for no more arms fairs in Telford. The International Centre has hosted the Specialist Defence and Security Convention arms fair (SDSC-UK) for 2 years now which has met with substantial opposition. 

Pat McCarthy, a pensioner from Telford, said: "My wife and I are horrified that the International Centre is acting as a marketplace for weapons that rip families apart. I've spoken to lots of people attending the lego event today who are shocked to discover that a venue at the heart of our town is profiting from death, torture and destruction. The Centre should instead focus on family-friendly events such as lego, pantomimes and Comicon."

Jo Blackman from Shrewsbury explained: "When we arrived here this morning, the Assistant Security Manager approached us and told us that the arms fair won't be returning here this autumn. If this is true, then we ask the Telford International Centre to make a public statement confirming that it will not be hosting any further arms fairs. 

If the Centre does confirm this, then this shows that after two years of campaigning by local community groups, faith groups, unions and other local people, SDSC-UK have realised that their sickening and lethal business is not welcome in Telford. 

But until we know for sure that we've run the arms fair out of town, we urge people to write to Telford and Wrekin Council and to the International Centre calling on them to make it clear that arms fairs are not welcome in Telford." 

Paul Cooper a pensioner from Broseley added: "Exhibitors at the SDSC-UK arms fair include companies linked to Israel's indiscriminate bombing in Gaza, Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, antidemocratic surveillance and repression, and to drone bombings, night raids and the killing of civilians in many countries. The UK is one of the biggest exporters of arms globally, including to repressive regimes and those suspected of violating international humanitarian law. As well as the incalculable human cost of 'bleeding edge technology', the weapons industry also squanders resources badly needed in our society and drives climate breakdown."