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Naarm you did us proud

People of Naarm won an epic victory for peace, justice and freedom during Disrupt Land Forces 2024. Standing united in marvelous diversity, with the deepest compassion and commitment, we faced down and exposed the violence of the state on this stolen continent.

In the worst possible irony, police used the Control of Weapons Act to protect harms dealers and to terrorise people protesting for peace and disarmament. This did not daunt us one iota. Every single one of the harms dealers trading flesh for cash inside the Land Forces expo was made keenly aware of our opposition to the business of genocide. Naarm and the rest of “Straya” were made aware that a massive weapons sales event, sponsored by the Victorian government, took place against the will of all people of conscience.

We are not surprised and we are not deterred by the militarised police violence we have encountered on the streets of Melbourne. This is exactly the way we expect capital to defend its most lucrative industry, the weapons trade. Billions change hands at Land Forces, as states buy ever more lethal weapons to use against us and people like us. While Boeing, Lockheed, BAE, Thales and Elbit continue to bank on genocide, we will continue to advocate for a future without the blight of war. The colony will fall, and we will be right here, cheering, dancing on its ashes.

Change seems impossible until it happens. We are people who know that change will come, through our hands, and in our lifetimes. We will never give up on Gaza, because we feel the truth of the slogan ‘We Are All Palestinians’. 

None of us are free until all of us are free. The genocide in Gaza, atrocities in West Papua, slavery in Congo, forced starvation in Sudan are all a result of militarism. The anti-militarist movement on this continent has grown and matured rapidly since Israel’s attacks on Gaza began. We are abundant, we are steadfast and we are growing stronger all the time. Change will come.

A variety of weapons was used against our mobilisation to Disrupt Land Forces. Read our community letter about Vic Pol’s trampling of our human rights here:

8-14 September: mobilise to disrupt land forces

LAND FORCES is coming to the Melbourne Convention Centre in Naarm, from 11-13 September.

What is Land Forces?

Land Forces is a massive weapons sales event, a one stop genocide shop. This is where the generals, weapons CEOs, diplomats and Defence Ministers come together to do the deals that end in massacres. Billions change hands at these events. Harms Dealers will spruik their latest killing tech, and governments will spend the people’s money on weapons to use against us.

Elbit, Lockheed, Boeing, Hanwha, Thales, NIOA … the biggest weapons makers in the world will all be there, plus military bosses, plus Defence Ministry personnel, plus hundreds of smaller suppliers trying to get a piece of the genocide pie. All will come together under one roof, shaking hands, exchanging flesh for cash, scoffing hors d’ouvres, designing terror, for three days.

Stand with frontline communities and the broader anti-militarist movement to SHUT THIS SHIT DOWN!

Naarm: let’s show how we mobilise

We hassled Land Forces out of Magandjin (Brisbane). That was before we had a wide spread grassroots anti militarist movement rising in active solidarity with Palestine. Imagine what we can do now, in Narrm …

There are over 50 collectivities already committed to disrupt Land Forces this September. Sign our open letter, as an individual or as an organisation, to stand with us. We invite all anti-militarist and pro-planet people to join us in realising our vision:

• Create a week long festival of resistance bringing diverse actionists and tactics into joined struggle against the arms trade.
• Hold a mobilisation where frontline impacted voices and stories are central.
• Make space for cultural, social, tactical and intellectual cross pollination
• Connect new crews
• Make the harms dealers have a bad time
• Make us have a good time
• Stretch goal: 25 000 people encircle the Melbourne Convention Centre and shut Land Forces down.

We need to remake the world and we need to start now. Bring your own vision, style, tactics, commitment and care. All genders all ages all cultures all abilities all protest techniques are welcome.

Demilitarise