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Charm offensive: what happened when the Morning Star went to an arms fair
PHIL MILLER reports from the Defence and Security Equipment International expo, where he did not receive the welcome he was expecting
Heavy weaponry on sale at the Defence and Equipment Security International (DSEI) 2019 in London [Phil Miller]

AS the Docklands Light Railway wound towards Custom House, the number of police waiting at stations en route became disconcerting.

Looking down from the train to the streets below, rows of police vans could be seen parked up next to protest camps.

More than 100 activists had already been arrested in the days leading up to Britain’s largest arms fair, the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI), and I felt it was increasingly unlikely the organisers would let me in.

Turkish arms companies such as Nurol Makina had a major presence at DSEI 2019
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman speaking on a screen at the Saudi Arabian Military Industries stand (Photo: Phil Miller)
Free massages were available for arms dealers at DSEI 2019, if they became tired after looking at all the weaponry (Photo: Phil Miller)
A naval officer inspects tear gas made by the Brazilian firm Condor, whose customers have included Bahrain (Photo: Phil Miller)
Would you like Turkish Delight with your traumatic cartridges? (Photo: Phil Miller)
A man stands in front of bombs made by Israeli arms firm Elbit at DSEI 2019 (Photo: Phil Miller)
Mortar shells made by BAE Systems on display at DSEI 2019 (Photo: Phil Miller)
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