ANTI-ARMS campaigners are seeking legal action to halt an upcoming arms fair in Liverpool. 

AOC Europe 2021, organised by a US-based association of arms traders specialising in electronic warfare, is due to take place at Liverpool’s ACC Exhibition Centre on October 11. 

About 85 arms companies are gearing up to showcase their deadly wares at the three-day event including Israeli weapons firms Elbit Systems, Rafael and Elta Systems. 

Campaigners are now calling on Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson and the city council to use their powers to cancel the fair. 

Yesterday, local campaigner Mark Jackson, represented by the Public Interest Law Centre, sent a pre-action protocol letter to Ms Anderson, the first step to launching a judicial review.

The basis for the potential challenge is that the city council, which owns the exhibition centre, should have cancelled the event on ethical grounds, and that its failure to do so may be unlawful. 

Mr Jackson said: “I’m appalled that our city’s Labour administration intends to allow this arms fair to be held. There is no room for weapons dealers in Liverpool.

“The guest lists for arms fairs frequently include regimes that abuse human rights and countries actively involved in armed conflicts. The Electronic Arms Fair in Liverpool will be no exception.”

Ms Anderson has publicly opposed the event but claims neither she nor the council have legal powers to prevent it. 

However, the law centre pointed to previous events at the centre cancelled by the council for ethical reasons. 

In 2020 it cancelled an event featuring US evangelist Franklin Graham, who has previously stated that gay marriage was a “sin.”

And in 2019 the Great British Shooting Show was dropped by the venue after the council described overseas trophy hunting as a “deplorable practice.”

The group believes that as the main shareholder of the venue, the council is able to cancel the fair. 

Law centre solicitor Paul Heron said: “A common justification for arms fairs is that they create jobs and help protect the UK. 

“However, as we are seeing in the case of Afghanistan, waging war and supporting the weapons trade only makes the world less secure.

“Security and prosperity can only be achieved by building fairer societies through investment in jobs, homes and public services.”

The legal action is being supported by Merseyside Pensioners Association, which is hosting a demo against the fair on September 11. 

Liverpool City Council was approached for comment.