Policing costs for arms fair to top £4m

More than 3,000 police and security staff have been drafted in to prevent anti-war protesters disrupting the four-day event at the ExCel Centre in Docklands.

The cost of policing the biennial show, which is supported by the Ministry of Defence, was just £1 million in 2003 and £3.7 million in 2005.

Activists have vowed to invade the Defence Systems Equipment International exhibition, the largest show of its kind with more than 1,350 arms manufacturers and companies selling artillery, military aircraft, bombs and supplies.

Officers from the Met and British Transport Police will patrol a security fence around the venue after discovering that a number of anti-war groups plan to storm the building.

One group, Space Hijackers, has bought an old tank which it intends to use in a direct action protest.

Others expected to demonstrate include the Wombles, which was involved in the 2002 May Day protests in London, Disarm DSEi and Smash EDO - EDO MBM is an American munitions firm.

Val Swain of Disarm DSEi, said: "The weapons trade is unacceptable. We're up against a multi-billion-dollar industry profiting from war and death. Writing a letter is not going to be sufficient.

"We're not advocating people invade the building but if people take matters into their own hands then they have a justifiable reason.

"At the last event there was massive disruption caused to the Dockland Light Railway and roads and that is only one of a variety of tactics." The Campaign Against Arms Trade, which will hold a march and rally outside the centre to be addressed by political activist and comedian Mark Thomas, promised its members would protest peacefully.

Campaigners have already claimed a victory after global publisher Reed Elsevier announced this will be the last such show it organises following a sustained campaign to force the company to sever its links with the defence industry.

Symon Hill of CAAT said: "We hope this will be the last show of its kind now that Reed has finally given into public and shareholder pressure not to support this unethical trade.

"In the current climate, with mass outrage over the BAE deals to Saudi Arabia, it is clear arms companies need conflict and oppressive regimes in place to profit."

However, organisers said the fair is vital to secure British defence jobs.

A DSEi spokesman said: "This is the world's premier defence show, which is a real fillip for London. There are a record number of exhibitors this year and we expect more than 25,000 visitors.

"The great majority of the equipment on show is not arms, but medical or disaster planning supplies. All the exhibits are legal and abide by very strict UK and international regulations.

"We live in a democracy and people have the right to protest peacefully. If that line is crossed, then that is a public order situation for the police."

Potential new owners are in discussions to take over the event from 2009.