Assemble 8.30am outside Bank tube station.

Draft text of leaflet to be given out on the ride:
Hello. This week, in east London’s ExCel Centre, one of the world’s biggest weapons fairs is taking place. It’s called DSEi, is organised by the government and a company called Reed Elsevier, and on sale will be many varieties of guns, bombs, bullets, tanks and fighter planes. We think it, and the entire arms trade, should be shut down. We’re also cyclists, so we thought we’d come together today to help do that, to make the links between oil, war and climate chaos, and to celebrate solutions.

It’s not hard to see that modern wars are mostly about trying to get hold of the world’s shrinking oil and gas reserves, as well as making fat profits for arms companies. Then there’s all the pollution pumped out of the planes, trucks and ships that make up the world’s armies and navies. And there's a strong link between nuclear power, that supposedly 'clean' and 'safe' energy source, as some argue that it wouldn't be economically viable without its weapon-making role.

We think there’s a better world out there for the making, one where taking care of our fellow brothers and sisters here in London and all over the world is the starting point for everything we do. So we hope you’ll excuse us if there’s any delay to your journey today as a result of this ride. We also hope that when you get home, you’re able to find out more about the DSEi arms fair, and ways you can help prevent it coming back to London in 2007. We can do it, but we have to do it together…

For more on DSEi protests: www.dsei.org & www.caat.org.uk/armsfairs/
For more on action for climate justice and dismantling the oil industry: www.risingtide.org.uk

This is from www.dsei.org:

Stop the world’s largest weapons fair!

DISARM DSEi

10-16 September 2005
London Docklands, UK
A week of action and resistance

DSEi (Defence Systems and Equipment International) is the world’s biggest weapons fair, sponsored by the British government and selling everything from battleships and attack helicopters to cluster bombs and machine guns.

At DSEi 2003 there were 973 exhibitors selling their deadly wares to delegates from a third of the world’s countries. This included seven of the G8 countries, six of whom feature in the top ten of world arms exporters.

The arms trade, of which DSEi is an important part, is an international political business made up of multinational companies which make products that kill and maim for profit. Wars continue today only thanks to the arms trade.

Due to globalisation, the arms companies operate above the law, outside of trade agreements, and firmly in favour only of the rich and powerful. These companies play a leading role in the unjust global economic system which causes poverty and abuse of human rights around the world. Poverty will never be made history whilst the arms trade proliferates and until the domination of these arms companies is directly confronted.

Remember DISARM DSEi 2003?
Arms fair preparations blockaded, trains and buses full of delegates stopped, DSEi security breached, arms companies’ offices visited by day and night, blockades, street protests and many other actions, £4.5 million spent on policing.

DISARM DSEi 2005...
It’s up to YOU! Form a group and start planning early for DSEi 2005. Take action now against companies involved in DSEi. See www.dsei.org for resources, information and more.

What is being planned?
10 - 16 September 2005
DISARM DSEi is co-ordinating a week of action and resistance to the arms fair and the unjust global system that supports it. We envisage a week of affinity group actions and public events. We are planning a conference with workshops, training sessions and information-sharing in the days leading up to the arms fair itself, which runs from 13 – 16 September. If you would like us to publicise any of your group’s events, please let us know. Disarm DSEi is a non-hierarchical organisation. We have no guidelines and work by consensus.

We intend to create a space where various groups can use the methods of protest and tactics of action they believe are most effective. There will be a convergence centre, which will provide opportunities to meet other activists as well as hosting the conference. Basic accommodation will also be available. Please let us know you are coming. If you need a bed or access arrangements please contact us as soon as possible so that we can try to accommodate those needs.

Get involved now
DISARM DSEi will be organising workshops and other gatherings in the run-up to DSEi. If your group would like a workshop or speaker for a meeting, please get in touch.

We also need people to get involved with organising for the week including: publicity, fundraising, convergence centre, workshops, accommodation, and anything else you would like to see happen. Please get in touch if you can help.

DISARM DSEi is funded entirely by donations, so please consider sending a cheque payable to DISARM DSEi to the address below or donate online using Paypal via our website.

DSEi 2003 was just a warm-up. This time we will shut them down!
Please translate, copy and distribute this call to action, and mobilise support in your area.

DISARM DSEi
Web: www.dsei.org
Post: BM Box 3679, London WC1N 3XX
Phone: 07817 652029
Email: disarm@dsei.org
Email discussion list: disarmdsei-subscribe@lists.riseup.net