Bomb Convention Flees to Perth
BIG PRESS
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BIG PRESS !!!
By Matt Annett
4 minute read
Prominent biennial weapons expo, Landforces, has recently announced their intention to hold their next event in Perth, despite a previous agreement with the Victorian Government that the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) would be the home of the convention ‘in 2024 and beyond’. In fact, there was seemingly already confirmation from all parties that Landforces 2026 would take place in Melbourne.
The Landforces website in mid-2025, proudly naming Melbourne as its host in 2026.
The current Landforces wesbite.
The lack of reasons for this migration to the far west seems curious, particularly given that the expo’s initial move from Brisbane to Melbourne came about partly as a result of increased capacity needs, aiming to take advantage of MCEC’s expansive 70,000m² volume. This makes the recent move to Perth's Convention and Exhibition Centre even more puzzling, marking a downgrade to a mere 28,000m².
This comes after Landforces 2024 - exactly one year ago today - was gifted an exorbitant police security force by the Victorian Government, with Premier Jacinta Allen amassing a swarm of NSW Police to add to the presence, based solely on the stretch goal of one organiser’s website to gather 25,000 protesters.
The 2024 event itself was known to host such exhibitors as IAI - Israeli Aerospace Industries - through their Australian affiliate, IAI Australia. IAI is owned by the Israeli Government, and is a primary supplier to the Israeli Defence Forces.
Some 1000-1800 police officers from Victoria and New South Wales were corralled to protect the building full of bombs and suits, the payroll for which ran the taxpayer a brisk $10-15 million. This sea of blue included members of the often-violent Public Order Response Team, the mounted brigade and regular officers dressed head-to-toe in riot armor, sporting ‘non-lethal’ firearms which were used to injure approximately 100 protesters on the first day of the event.
This first day of the event saw 24 heavily armoured, gun-wielding police officers allegedly sustain minor injuries from small objects thrown by protesters. A photographer, who was not taking part in the protest, was hit in the ear by a 40mm rubber bullet, and has reportedly suffered permanent hearing damage.
Big Press was on the scene that day, and can personally attest to the sheer militarism of the police officers. We saw protesters beaten to the ground from behind, dragged along concrete, kneeled on by 4 officers at once, tear gassed, pepper-sprayed, shot at, pushed and violently arrested. It seems hard to describe it as anything other than state violence in the name of protecting the business of selling guns, bombs and tanks. If you’re interested in what we saw, you can watch our video.
The months after the expo were marred by 21 further protester arrests, which often included groups of as many as 12 police officers barging into sharehouses to search through the closets and under the beds of young people who’d been present at the protest that day. The majority of those arrested on the day or in the following months have seen their charges dropped, painting these arrests as a waste of time and money at best, blatant intimidation of protesters at worst.
Further details about the violent police conduct on that day can be read about in an open letter to members of the Victorian state government from Disrupt Land Forces, as well as a thorough and damning report by Melbourne Activist Legal Service. Then-Chief Commissioner Shane Patterson stated at the time that he could not be more proud of the conduct of officers on the ground.
The Landforces website has scrubbed all mentions of any previous deal with MCEC and the Victorian government. This appears to be an attempt to both cover their escape from Victoria's capital and reframe the move as being necessary for Western Australia’s economy. One is left to wonder why Landforces seems to have forgotten to mention the immense costs to the taxpayer and social cohesion that come with hosting the event.
To the bruised, bloodied, spluttering protesters of Disrupt Landforces 2024: job done.
See you in Perth.
