Three Christian activists were arrested after protesting outside a London exhibition centre that will next week host a major international arms fair.

The three activists belong to the Christian Climate Action campaign group and were protesting outside London's Excel Centre ahead of the Defence and Security Equipment International Fair.

The fair is an annual government-backed expo showcasing the latest equipment and systems in global defence and security from the arms industry. 

Angela Ditchfield, one of the activists arrested, said: "As the climate and ecological emergency worsens, more and more people will be queuing up to profit from social collapse and warfare.

"As Christians we are compelled to resist this injustice and show solidarity with the victims of war."

Many representatives of the faith community have been protesting outside the Excel this week as part of the 'No Faith in War!' demonstration ahead of the expo starting on September 9.

Senior Church leaders in attendance included the Bishop of Colchester, the Rt Rev Roger Morris, who led prayers during the demonstration. 

The Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) also joined in the protest, saying that "many of the conflicts going on around the world will be fuelled by visits to the arms fair in the coming week".

The protesters blocked the road to the site and sang Psalms when the police arrived on the scene and asked them to move on. 

Despite the arrests, the protests are continuing and a vigil has been planned to coincide with the start of the fair on Monday. 

"The message resounding from those in attendance was clear. God is a God of love and the message off Jesus was one of peace, leading to the ultimate act of peacemaking – his death on the cross to bring us into relationship with God through the Holy Spirit," said Christian CND.