Four Green Party members of the European Parliament today participated in protests outside the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair in London.

Scott Ainslie (MEP for London), Ellie Chowns (MEP for the West Midlands), Gina Dowding (MEP for the North West) and Catherine Rowett (MEP for the East of England) joined hundreds of protestors outside the ExCel centre to voice their concern about the UK government’s continued support for the world’s biggest arms fair.

Sharing a stage with Hiba Ahmad, Youth activist at Global Justice Now, all four MEPs spoke on the links between the arms trade and fossil fuels, how climate change fuels conflict, the complicity of the UK government in the war in Yemen, and the direct impact of war on the environment.

At the protest, Gina Dowding MEP, said: “War is not just a waste of resources that could be used to tackle climate change, but is itself a significant cause of environmental harm.”

Having co-signed a letter to Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss, the MEPs are calling for the enforcement of an embargo on the arms trade with Saudi Arabia. Since the start of the bombing of Yemen in March 2015, in which more than 97,000 casualties have been reported, the UK has licensed over £4.7 billion worth of arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Last month, a UN panel of experts found that British-made bombs had been used in the targeting of civilians in the country.

Ellie Chowns MEP, member of the Committee on International Trade in the European Parliament said: “UK-made arms are being used to perpetrate human rights abuses. Our government is prioritising profit over people. The UK’s involvement in the arms trade – we are the second largest arms exporter in the world – is a matter of shame for our country.”

Catherine Rowett MEP added: “At a time when civilians are being bombed and starved in Yemen thanks to British-made weapons, the UK’s hosting of this arms fair is sickening. The UK has blood on its hands but is shamelessly continuing to flout international standards on human rights.”

As Green MEP for London, Scott Ainslie said: “I am deeply ashamed that this arms event is taking place within my constituency. The UK should be leading by example, rather than actively seeking to sell weapons to murderous regimes who believe they operate above international law.”