The group, Action for Elephants, has posted a statement on its website announcing what it says will be a “peaceful demonstration” while criticising antique dealers and the legal UK trade in antique ivory.
Action for Elephants has staged other protests against the buying and selling of antique ivory, including one outside the Salisbury saleroom of Woolley & Wallis.
In announcing its Olympia fair protest, the group repeats its claim that the trade in antique ivory, though legitimate if the ivory dates from pre-1947, helps fuel the demand for modern poached ivory and argues the link between the two is “proven”.
A call for people to attend the protest from 1-3pm on Saturday, July 1 has been posted on social media sites including Facebook.
Action for Elephants is targeting the Olympia fair as an “event [that] represents one of the largest antiques fairs held in the UK,” erroneously describing it as “the annual event of the British Antiques Dealers Association (BADA)”.
The event’s trade body partners are BADA and LAPADA.
ATG has reached out for comment, including from representatives of the Olympia Fair.
