Another year, another arms dealers’ dinner is facing disruption by protesters

Protesters vow that arms dealers and politicians will not dine in peace at their £265-£540-a-head annual dinner – as they prepare another year of disruption to the event.

ADS dinner at the Marriot: a yearly event – as are the protests

The Aerospace, Defence & Security (ADS) Group is an arms-industry trade body that represents most of the world’s biggest arms firms. And according to Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), every year it holds a dinner to “bring politicians together with reps from [the] world’s biggest arms companies”.

The dinner is a prestigious lobbying and networking event for many of the companies complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Event sponsors include companies directly complicit in Israel’s genocide including BAE Systems and Babcock. BAE Systems is the lead partner in the F-35 combat aircraft programme. The UK makes 15% of every F-35 Israel used to drop 2000lb bombs on Gaza. The F-35 license was exempted from Labour’s partial arms suspension despite evidence that Israel used F-35s to commit war crimes.

In 2024, the ADS dinner was attended by over 1200 people, including 40+ members of parliament, eight government ministers, opposition front benchers, and international delegations.  Also in attendance was arms trade lobbyist and so-called ‘independent’ government advisor on political violence and disruption, Lord Walney aka John Woodcock. Walney complained to GB News in 2024 that attendees had to “run the gauntlet” of protesters to attend the event.

Emily Apple, CAAT’s media coordinator, said:

The people attending this dinner are dining on the profits of genocide. This disgusting event is nothing more than a lobbying opportunity for war criminals. These arms dealers are merchants of death, fuelling conflict worldwide, in order to line their pockets.

The contacts and conversations that happen at events like this lead to deadly consequences and our protest will ensure that those attending have to confront the reality of these murderous deals.

Marriot: syncophants

In 2024, CAAT disrupted the event as well:

The sycophants at Marriot told the Canary last year:

We are a hospitality company that provides public accommodations and function space.

Acceptance of business does not indicate support, or endorsement of any group or individual.

In line with our guest privacy policies, we do not discuss details of our guests or the groups with whom we do business.

Clearly, Marriot hasn’t heard of BDS. Nor is it concerned with the UK arms industry’s appalling track record in Gaza and the Occupied Territories.

The protest will take place on Tuesday 28 January, 6pm, at JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, 86-90 Park Lane, London W1K 7TN.

Featured image and additional images via CAAT