Friends protest at security expo
Quakers were among those who protested at an expo held at the Three Counties Showgrounds
Quakers from Malvern, Hereford and Worcester demonstrated against a two-day Defence and Security Expo held at Malvern’s Three Counties Showgrounds last month. Friends and supporters held a vigil in a shopping area in Malvern on 17 July before marching to Qinetiq, which they say develops military technology.
Melanie Jameson, from Malvern Meeting, told the Friend that: ‘A moving testimony was read and a wreath attached to their main roadside sign, in memory of the 35,000 children under five killed in the Yemeni conflict. From there, we moved to the exit gate at the Showground and, facing the delegates’ cars as they left, we formed a line displaying our messages [including] “Quakers say: Use your technology to tackle the climate emergency”.’
She said the main purpose of the defence event was to ‘recruit small and medium enterprises into the defence and security industry’.
Melanie Jameson added: ‘In this, its third year, the expo has doubled in size with the addition of the “Special Products Industry Day”, previously held at the defence college at Shrivenham. Security has been dramatically increased with attendance limited to industry members and those intending to supply industry/military/law enforcement agencies. The website provides a list of some of the produces on show and boasts that delegates will have access “up to 2,000 decision makers”, and “150+ exhibitors”, which include BAE Systems. We see this event as a further stage in the militarisation of the UK. How far do we want to allow this sector of our economy to grow?’
Friends and campaigners plan to hand-deliver a letter to the Showground’s board of trustees.
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