One of the UK's biggest arms fairs is to relocate from Telford to Birmingham following two years of persistent protest.

The Specialist Defence and Security Convention (SDSC-UK) will be held in Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre on 3-4 February next year.

In 2024 arms companies exhibiting at SDSC-UK included those manufacturing weapons used to commit genocide in Gaza:

Elbit Systems. Israel's largest privately owned arms company, manufacturer of bombs, mortars and drones.

L3 Harris. Manufacturer of surveillance, night vision and targeting equipment and supplier of bomb release mechanisms for Israel's F35 aircraft.

Ultra Electronics. Granted numerous arms export licences to Israel by the UK Government and involved in the development of the F35 warplane.

Previously held in Malvern, the annual event moved to Telford International Centre in 2023 following protests.

Organisers insisted that the move was prompted by the need for more space and transport links, but they faced similar opposition at Telford from the Stop SDSC-UK coalition.

A spokesperson for Telford International Centre would not comment on whether the arms fair was moving due to local opposition.

Earlier this year four Quakers were among six people found not guilty of causing a public nuisance at the SDSC-UK in November 2023.

A further six Quakers were charged under the Public Order Act 1986 for a protest at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair in London in September 2023.

Four were found guilty and fined while the other two were acquitted.

DSEI, the world's biggest market for weapons, returns to the ExCel Centre next week, despite opposition from faith groups and the Mayors of London and Newham.

But similar weapons markets were banned from Glasgow in 2018, following strong protests from organisations including Trident Ploughshares, Food Not Bombs and Catholic Workers.

The UK is one of the biggest exporters of arms globally, including to repressive regimes and those suspected of violating international humanitarian law.

“Pointing weapons at other people is the very opposite of loving our neighbour, as we are called to do.

“The arms trade enables violence and profits from suffering; it is a denial of our common humanity. That is why we oppose it and work for a world where peace can flourish."