Anti-war activists to challenge baby boomers

Clarion Events picked up the international arms exhibition from Reed Elsevier last year, and has already been met with demonstrations at other shows on its roster. A peaceful protest at the Olympia Baby Show in October caused backers Bounty and UNICEF to distance themselves from the event, while CAAT members turned up at the Spirit of Christmas exhibition dressed as Santa and his weapon-packing elves.

DSEi has been staged at Excel since 2001, and draws arms companies, foreign governments and protesters to Custom House every other year. A total of 34 people were arrested at 2007's event, and activists even held a mock auction on a rented tank which they drove into the Royal Docks venue's car park.

Reed Elsevier opted to sell the event following pressure from anti-war groups and its own employees, and CAAT spokeswoman Kaye Stearman hopes to use Clarion shows to spell out the message that "weapons sales promote conflict and human rights abuse".

Clarion bought three fairs, including the DSEi, last May, and has since added two more to its stockpile.

She said: "Clarion Events seems not to see the irony of holding a baby show one month and an arms fair the next.

"To Clarion, business is business. It doesn't care whether it promotes baby goods to new parents or deadly weapons to abusive regimes. But today businesses are more aware of the need for ethical business practices.

"As long as Clarion is involved in the arms business, it will never be a reputable company."

A Clarion events spokesman argued the acquisitions had provoked a "positive" response, and that such exhibitions are "thriving events with full Government support".

He said: "We expect DSEi 2009 to be bigger than 2007, and will continue to provide exhibitors and visitors with the high quality event that they have come to expect.

"The decision to purchase DSEi has had no impact on Clarion Events’ other shows. Indeed despite the current economic climate our business continues to grow.

"We respect people’s rights to freedom of speech and provide facilities to make sure they can be heard.

"The response to our acquisition of DSEi and other shows in the defence and security sector has been positive as they are a valuable and profitable addition to our portfolio.

"The events we have acquired are thriving events with full Government support, serving only the legitimate global defence and security industry.

"The shows fit perfectly with our strategy for international expansion."