Arrested activists welcome more Disobedients onto the police bus
The French nonviolent direct action Collectif des Désobéissants (Collective of Disobedients) coordinated a series of nonviolent direct actions on June 22 to disrupt the Paris Air Show, the largest such aerospace industry and air show in the world.
The air show at Le Bourget airport serves as a showcase for arms dealers from around the world. According to the Disclose survey, French arms dealers at the Paris Air Show are involved in the deaths of many civilians in Yemen: Nexter (Leclerc tanks and Caesar cannons), Thalès (Damocles pods), Airbus (Airplanes A330MRTT, Cougar Helicopters) and Dassault (Mirage 2000-9).
The objective of this action was to denounce the responsibility of France in the deaths of civilians in Yemen, and demand the immediate closure of this business fair for the merchants of death.
Several die-ins and other nonviolent actions, many at the entry gates, resulted in the arrest of 50 activists who were taken to various police stations in the Paris region. They were held for about four hours and released after their identity was checked and recorded. About 30 additional identity checks were carried out on the spot of the demonstrations.
For more information including videos, visit Collectif des Désobéissants and Let’s Block Le Bourget.
Collectif des Désobéissants works to: support the non-violent direct actions of progressive groups and organizations whenever unfair policy or irresponsible practices threaten the common good; train activists and citizens in nonviolent direct action by organizing civil disobedience courses; integrate the militant circles by promoting the solidarities and the convergences between the different struggles and practices; and publicize these disobedient struggles.