Media Release: Peace Zone will Blockade Arms Dealers
From: Auckland Peace Action
Date: Tuesday, 15 November 2016

A human blockade to stop the opening of the Auckland Weapons Expo will begin at 8am tomorrow morning.

Peace Activists from around the country are converging on the Viaduct Events Centre to shut down the two-day arms fair sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest weapons manufacturer.

“We cannot sit by while people who profit from war and human misery are meeting to make business deals,” said Auckland Peace Action spokesperson, Virginia Lambert

“This weapons expo is offensive and abhorrent. The arms trade simply has no place in a civilised society. We are taking non-violent direct action to stop this expo from happening.”

“Every day we see the horror of war unfolding across our screens. Meanwhile, companies like Lockheed Martin are making billions of dollars each year on the wars that rage around the globe,” said Ms Lambert.

More than 550 weapons dealers will be attending the weapons expo for a parade of military hardware.

The family-friendly blockade will create a peace zone around the Weapons Expo. The blockade is part of the Week of Peace, a series of peace actions to counter the weapons expo and navy warships in Auckland Harbour.

Ms. Lambert said that this blockade is a chance for New Zealanders to show our collective values. We have always placed a high value on peace and disarmament. We want to work for peace, not prepare and fund wars.

ENDS

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