Peace campaigners protest arms fair at Birmingham NEC 

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

-          Red Rebels street theatre, drumming, silent Quaker vigil all planned outside major arms fair at Birmingham NEC

-          From 9am Wednesday 4/2/26, Birmingham NEC

-          Phone 07718 937156 for more information

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2/2/26

Peace campaigners protest arms fair at Birmingham NEC

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

The Specialist Defence and Security Convention (SDSC-UK) is due to be held on the site on 3-4 February.

Planned protests include street theatre from the Red Rebels, a silent vigil led by Quakers, interfaith prayers and drumming.

“The SDSC-UK isn’t just another exhibition, it’s a showcase for companies that profit from war, human suffering, and corruption,” said a spokesperson for the Stop SDSC-UK campaign which includes Quakers, Campaign Against Arms Trade and others.

“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. Previous events were forced 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 been used 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, was delivered to the NEC on Wednesday, 21 January, by their Peace Dove mascot.

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

The UK arms industry alone emits over 1.4 million tonnes of CO₂ annually and is linked to nearly half of all international trade corruption cases.

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

“As they have decided to go ahead, we will be outside, making sure our community’s voice is heard.”

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

ENDS

Media contact:
Contact the Peace Hub on office@peacehub.org.uk or 07718937156

Read full letter here: https://www.stop-sdsc.uk/campaign-letters/to-the-nec-group-stop-sdsc-uk