The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center is currently hosting the Land Forces International Land Defense Exhibition, where hundreds of military personnel from around the world are expected to attend.
The Land Forces Expo – a three-day industry-only event – was billed as “the largest defense industry event ever held in Australia” and sparked intense protests outside the exhibition grounds and throughout the Melbourne CBD.
What is the Land Forces Expo about?
Previously held in Brisbane, the exhibition brings together high-level international military, defence, government, scientific and industrial delegations from around the world, as well as global entrepreneurs and exhibitors in sectors such as communications, security and artillery .
The exhibition is not open to the public and persons under the age of 16 are not permitted to attend.
Participants must demonstrate that they have a direct business connection with the defense industry and other defense-related industries.
What events are taking place at the expo?
Events include an exhibition, networking events, innovation awards and presentations by industry experts.
The exhibition partnered with the Australian Army, the Australian Association for Unmanned Systems, the Australian Industry Defense Network, the Department of Defense and others in the creation and execution of his program.
Autonomy in the Joint Military Battlespace — the flagship conference of the expo program — “aims to promote engagement between defense and the defense industry on the evolving use of autonomy and unmanned systems for defense applications”.
What is on display?
More than 800 local and international companies and organizations participate in the exhibition to showcase weapons, defense technologies and other equipment and products related to warfare, security, technology, transportation and communications.
During the exhibition, military artillery, trucks and semi-automatic weapons were displayed.
On Saturday, a military tank was delivered to the convention center at 3 a.m.
Why are people protesting this?
Protests against the exhibition began on Wednesday in front of the exhibition center and intensified throughout the day. Anti-war activists clashed with police, throwing eggs at attendees as they walked toward the exhibit.
Before the protests, Disrupt Land Forces spokesperson Jasmine Duff said the protest was sparked by the government’s position on the Hamas-Israel war.
“We are protesting in defense of everyone who has been killed by the type of weapons on display at the convention,” Duff said.
Duff said that many of the weapons on display at the exhibition are advertised as being “battle tested” and that in the context of Israeli arms companies at the exhibition, “that means tested by killing civilians in Gaza.”
Greens MP Gabrielle de Vietri, who took part in the demonstration, said on Tuesday that the state government should have canceled the “exhibition of deadly weapons”.
On Tuesday, Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said: “From our perspective, the key is to recognize that this is an important industry that the state will continue to support. »
“This convention is truly a showcase of the industry to the world.”
Speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, Liberal Party deputy leader Sussan Ley criticized the protesters and voiced her support for the exhibition.
“I support our defense industries every day of the week, and I know Australians do too massively and absolutely.”
