Remove Shell's Illegal Fences - National Day of Action - CALL OUT
mayo |
environment |
feature
Monday May 04, 2009 13:23
by Shell to Sea
rossportsolidaritycamp at gmail dot com
085 1141170
Saturday 9th May, 2009 at 6pm - Day of Action - Support Needed to Remove Shell Fences from Glengad.
Tearing Down the Barricades
This is a Call Out from the united community of Erris Co Mayo to all our national and international supporters, asking you to come to Glengad this coming Saturday 9th May at 6pm in the evening, on a Day of Action to help us remove Shell's illegal fences from the area.
As you know, Shell returned to Glengad with fences and machinery on Wednesday 22nd April, with force and violence. Since then there have been a number of attempts at removing the fences and stopping the work, with a mixture of failure and success.
As you can see from the photos and footage below, the will is clearly there to fight Shell, in spite of the fact that large numbers of Shell security and Gardai have been drafted into the area. But what is also clear is that numbers are needed to achieve success. Numbers, People, Bodies. That means you. Please come.
Related Links from Indymedia.ie:
Previous Indymedia Feature: United Community of Erris Remove Shell Nets.
Previous Indymedia Feature: Shell security attack Willie Corduff after illegal Glengad compound dismantled
Previous Indymedia Feature: Scuffles At Mountjoy As Maura Harrington Is Jailed
Indymedia.ie stories about Shell in Mayo from the Indymedia.ie Archives
Other articles by Niall Harnett on Indymedia.ie
Related Links outside of Indymedia.ie
The website of Shell-to-Sea - CorribSOS.com
Feel like doing something? Contact all politicians about this - Contact.ie
Rossport Solidarity Camp Contact Details: Phone 085 1141170 or email rossportsolidaritycamp (at) gmail (dot) com
By way of background to the current mood in Erris, let's remind ourselves of 2 key recent events.
In the early hours of Thursday 13rd April, Shell mercenaries viciously attacked Willie Corduff within the confines of the Shell compound.
On Thursday 30th April at a community meeting with Ministers Eamon Ryan and Eamon O'Cuiv, people realised that trying to 'talk' to these guys was a fruitless exercise. There were calls from all corners of the community for civil disobedience, the physical stopping of the project and the taking of the 'law into our own hands', when the ministers refused to invite Shell to pull back to allow breathing space to resolve the conflict.
This is serious stuff. The mood in Erris now is that people are willing to pay any price to Stop Shell, and to take action accordingly.
But we need support, in numbers, to achieve the critical mass of people required to be effective. To be effective in pulling down Shell fences in order to remove them.
This protest is about taking direct action against the Shell machine and removing it from Glengad.
The pictures and footage included in this article, which show local people attempting to remove fences today, demonstrate that Action has begun in earnest this Spring and will continue in the coming weeks and months. But it's going to be a battle, when faced, like today, with strong fences and large numbers of Shell security and Gardai. A similar attempt was made last Friday by members of the local community which included Pobal Le Cheile, Pobal Cill Chomain, the Rossport Solidarity Camp and Shell to Sea, but numbers were limited. All groups agreed, at a meeting on the ground, that a National Day of Action next Saturday 9th May was required to build momentum. That is why local people are calling for support, in numbers, to build strength against the show of force against us.
The weather is improving steadily and The Rossport Solidarity Camp is being rebuilt near the shore. People are welcome to come and stay at the camp or the camp house. Phone 085 1141170 or email rossportsolidaritycamp (at) gmail (dot) com
Join us in taking action against Shell. Don't come empty-handed. Please spread the word amongst your friends, groups and networks.
See you in Glengad.
Caption: Video Id: mrUS9D3JdJA Type: Youtube Video
Attempt at Shell Fence Removal - Sun 3rd May, 2009.
Caption: Video Id: ZbLUnalsstg Type: Youtube Video
Erris People Call Out for Support against Shell.
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Comments (53 of 53)
Jump To Comment: 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.. is available here - http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92280
Post your pics there please.
Hi, is anybody available to give an update? As I haven't seen anything since RTE news on Saturday night, and I'm quite anxious.
This is a wide ranging campaign, working at every possible level - political, social, letter writing, planning, discussing and acting, and working through community activism, politicians, planning processes etc. That many aspects of the campaign are less apparent to you is perhaps the work of shell and the media in particular - no real attempt at dialogue from shell, no real engagement from the government agencies, and no real reporting from the media - not surpsing when RTE is answerable to the same government which committed this 'economic treason' in the first place, and nearly 80% of the press is owned by the O Reilly's who have substantial interests in oil and gas exploration in Irleand. What is being done is unsafe, illegal and environmentally damaging - many people have committed a large part of their lives to this campaign - what is your contribution to the work they ae doing?
Years of pressure on ministers have yielded nothing save insight into government's lack of accountability, & contempt for the people. The big media toe the party line on this issue, as on any matter that shows those who feed them in a clear light.
More.....
At the fence
more at the fence
What to do next
Sand martin's nest destroyed at intended point of land fall
Solidarity camp 09 in preparation
Courage and commitment from a whole communtiy for over ten years - more pictues fmr Sundays demo- more to follow
The bay where pipeline is intended to come
Protestors heading for the fences
Long arm of the saw
Head to head
EPA never far away
I see that the anonymous and cowardly critics have not gone away. Mummy's let them use the PC again. The people at Glengad are brave in a way that I envy. Yesterday I managed to drive as far as Mulranny before it got too late. Protestors are facing the might of a major oil corporation and a colluding government. Yet they do it again and again, for no reward, under threat of arrest at the whim of a nodding Gardaí. These people - not the criminal bankers, the greedy developers, the 'see-you-right' government - are the mainstay of democracy in this country. Yet even this morning, Sunday, some newspapers are desperate to paint the protests as simpy vehicles for Republicanism, in a childish effort to swing public opinion against them. And naturally, critics will climb out from under various rocks and, in a semi-literate manner, have a go. We should be proud of the protestors at Glengad. These are the people of whom we should speak in our schools.
Putting bread on the table of the type of right wing neo-nazi facist thugs that Shell appear to employ from around the world in Rossport should be of no concern of right-minded people. The criminal actions of these types against decent Irish citizens at Glengad should!!
Watched the RTE news to hear what they were saying about the protest the usual guff and spin was at the forefront as usual.
It showed six cops carrying what appeared to be a protester,I could only see two legs there was no head visable, maybe it was a manakin, done for the cameras stunt, or maybe they are weaklings.
Good luck and Best Wishes to the campaigners,and watch yourselves,those thugs are fit for anything,dont let the Bastards get you down.
It been confirmed that 6 people have been arrested, 5 off whom where transported by a prison sevice van to a local garda station. A solicitor has been sorted
Tonite approx 150 S2S supporters both from across the country and within the local community have made a sustained effort to halt the ongoing work at the head of the proposed Shell pipeline at its site in Glengad. People of all ages particpated in the action, where ropes and chains where used to attempt to pull down the outer fencing of the site. These effort have so far been repulsed by a very large security operation from both the state and private security firm IRM security. There is in excess of 150 garda, incuding the notorious public order units. Most are posted and lined out at the outside rear of the compound, complimented on the inside by a further 100 hired hands IRM Security
At present there have been some "arrests " of supporters at tonight action so far. Figures at present range from 6-8. These people are being physically detained but the cops are refusing to officially arrest them, or at least refusing to comment publically that the arrests have been made, and won't tell observers which Garda station those detained are being taken to. Garda seem to be deliberate targeting people from outside the local area, and avoiding arresting local members of the community. It has been suggested that this make much better media coverage, no doubt some of which we will see in tomorrow papers. There is a prison van, the type used to carry prisonsers to court, inside the compound where Shell and security staff work. Whilst there is movement of cops in and out of the van, it is unclear if people are being detained in it at the moment.
The situation has been described by one supporter as calm, though there are continung skirmishes as people attempt to disrupt the ongoing controversial and devisive work being carried out by Shell againist the wishes of the local community.
More updates to follow as and when they come in, its likely to be a long evening
Yes O C Pensioner and we see that it is the IT 's "Crime Correspondent" back again, who is covering the event.
Pity he would not expose the real criminality in all of this.
and keep tha sense of humour , we will triumph
There will beinternational human rights monitors amongst the campaigners this evening. They will notbe identifiable but will be gathering information and evidence for upcoming intervention. Campaigners are encouraged to capture photo, video and audio footage of abuses and to publish them online. Police, security or Shell workers who abuse their position will be held to account.
I have just read on the online irish times that extra Garda public order sqauds have been ordered in to controll protestors at Glengad.
WATCH OUT FOR VIOLENT THUGGERY.
FUTURE ACTIONS SHOULD BE ARRANGED WITHOUT PUBLICITY. TAKE THEM BY SURPRISE AND HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS.
.
Sorry if this is not very clear.
See the post 'DIRECTIONS' above. There is plenty of parking space.
I'm looking for a lift foxylady, what time are you planning on travelling? It's about a four hour drive.
libertypics@yahoo.ie
Where is the protest gathering? Will it be possible to get parked nearby?
The previous group shot was a repeat. This is the last image of mugshots and heads from last Sunday May 3rd.
Don't forget, keep a cool head in Glengad.
See you in and around Glengad...keep a cool head....... ;-)
I had a good laugh with that arm-a-geddon....but to save any more confusion, I put that arrow there. It's pointing at the insignia which says AQUA over two stripes, and I cant make out the word over that. It looks like a military style badge.
Meanwhile, some more heads to watch out for in and around Glengad......
Michael the link may be of help to you, it is some kind of Military Command symbol, but not very sure. I recall seeing it on zionist vehicles prior to their murderous actions on Gaza.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Merkava4_MichaelMass0...1.jpg
In reply to puzzled,
security company working there should get real jobs??
Yes well real people do NOT inflict suffering on other human beings by beating them up,and commiting despicable acts of thugery.
These are the actions of psychopathic,deranged morons, and are certainly not the behaviour of real sane people.
Real people in real jobs normally get Saturday off that is unless you either work for $ Hell, I-RMS, or a cop,who receive very generous overtime payments at the taxpayers expense, shame on them.
I would just like to repeat: In light of recent revelations and allegations regarding the deaths in Bolivia of two men who worked on the Shell project as security, I feel it is my duty as a photojournalist, to make images public of other employees of the security company I-RMS, contracted by Shell. See links above for more information.
Some of the aforementioned security personnel did assault some supporters on Sunday last May 3rd. Having witnessed the events at close hand at the fence, all I can say right now is that these people are nothing more than hired vicious thugs and that includes some of the gardaí, as has been attested to many times before by other witnesses and victims of assault.
All images are copyleft to supporters, campaigners etc, or anyone who can put them to good use ie: try and get more support for the campaign and future actions and information of some of these suspect security 'workers'. Contact me if you require any more photos from the link below.
Photo essays and more on Rossport: www.myspace.com/libertypix
Thank you for looking, for your support and the kind comments.
Roll On Rossport!! Roll on Operation Fencedown!! Refine At Sea - Reclaim Our Nations Natural Resources
Get rid of this government and these facists!!
They get them very young in both organisations....
Notice the Insignia
Anyone kniow what it means?
'Resistance is futile'. ?
Okay, your right! I'll just stop everything. Why did I never think of that? Resistance is futile, of course! I'll stop, sorry
Thanks very much for those directions. will be driving down
By Public Transport: Get a train or bus to Ballina.
See: http://www.buseireann.ie for buses and http://www.irishrail.ie/ for trains.
From those places you can get transport from a private bus company called McGraths (097) 87842. Get to the bus stop early to look out for a McGraths minibus and flag it down! Ballina- Minibus leaves at 5.10pm from outside Dunnes Stores, that is, from the carpark beside the Humbert Monument (15-20min walk from bus and train station).
If you are coming from Castlebar- Minibus leaves from 5pm from beside the drop off point for the Bus Eireann buses. McGraths do not run on Sundays (return from graveyard 10.30 a.m. Monday to Saturday, 10 euro return, 8 euro single). Ask for Glengad,
Hitching: It’s easier to get a lift on the N59 from Ballina to Belmullet, but the scenic coast road ( 'Killala' then 'Pollathomas') is much nicer and you might be lucky during holidays.
By Car:
From Ballina: The Shell Route: Take the N59, the road going to Belmullet. The first town you meet is Crossmolina. Continue on the N59, traveling in the direction of the village of Bangor Erris. You go through Bangor Erris until on the other side of the village you come to the oil road, on your left is Srahmore, there is a fork in the road, and just in front is a Marian grotto, the road on the right looks like it isn't in Mayo, this is the 'oil road', you go up the 'oil road'. At the end of this road you come to a T-junction, turn right (direction Ballina!) and you're on the Bellanaboy road, where the refinery is being built. Continue on for a few hundred yards till you come to a left turn for 'Poll a tSomais' (Pollathomas). Take that left and drive straight through Pollathomas. It's about another mile to Glengad.
The Coast Route: More Scenic and slightly quicker, but less educational. Take the R314 north out of Ballina in the direction of Killala, after Killala you come to the village of Ballycastle and then the hamlet of Belderg. You then go through the village of Glenamoy, you pass the right turn for Rossport and continue till you see a right turn for Pollathomas. It's about 6 miles from that turn, to Glengad.
Can you give me directions on how to get there from Ballina?
"i reckon u lot should stop messing around and join shell to put this pipeline in, the state would save money on being able to relocate the gardai to places where they can do their real jobs instead of having to babysit u lot. "
"Babysit" - now there's an interesting term - an interesting way of describing their practice of viciously assaulting peaceful protesters, cracking their heads open with batons, flinging elderly men and women into ditches, and the like. Well, I suppose you do stand in a long tradition - not so long ago, it was considered appropriate for the state to hand over children to the care of people who physically and sexually abused them - by that standard, "babysit" is precisely the right term.
I hope people will realise now as Ken Lee says, Fianna Fáil have finally failed.
All through the years, they have had an unfair crack of the whip -all the main parties- and we are still hurting and for many years will keep hurting because of their mistakes, sell outs, corruption, shady deals with greasy palms in grubby brown envelopes and tinkering with our ways and laws for the benefit of them and their friends in low, I repeat low, not high places.
I hope Glengad and Rossport will become the benchmark for a nationwide fightback against the onslaught we are suffering from today. The fighting people of Rossport and the equally courageous Shell2Sea campaigners etc are a credit to any nation and right thinking people.
Take back Glengad Beach and keep it! Roll on Operation Fencedown, roll on Rossport!!
...prevent this from becoming a gravestone...
Please try and get to Rossport.
More Pics from Glengad on Sunday 3rd May...
...from the department of injustice...
...to the guardians of defences...
...more soon...
This fight is still winnable. Let this corrupt and immoral government and their ilk know now, that the sell-off of our nationall resources and wealth is the last straw and will be one of the final nails in their coffins, forever! Finally failed, nailed and buried, at last at last!!
Victory to the people of Mayo, Rossport, Erris, Glengad and beyond - Stop the Solitaire - Refine at Sea - Reclaim our National Resources.
Get facists out of our country and bury them with this government!!!
Fianna Fail caused this crime and Fine Gail are silent, Labour is wimpering and they are all looking for your votes.
Is it any wonder that the country is going down the road of returning to slavery. This time it will be multinational as well as british who will be our masters.
Who is to blame?-==THE SILENT PUBLIC AND MEDIA. We have allowed political criminals to corrupt this country, now we are letting them bring in Hungarian-Romanian fascist thugs to violently assault peacefull Irish citizens that only seek truth and justice and the protection of their childrens health and future.
TERRY DOWNES and JAMES FARRELL are traitors to their country for this crime and should be treated as such. Are Irish thugs not evil enough for their purposes?
OH I FORGOT WE ARE ALL IN THE EUROPEAN UNION NOW. The union that will ensure that its people's civil rights will be protected.
LISBON TWO GIVE IT THE SHOE.
We need a Union of HONESTY, TRUTH AND JUSTICE. Present the people with with a treaty that contains these basic aspirations and we can all agree.
They all ignore the political crimes that are happening in Rossport, and allow the Irish Government to deny the people the right of United Nations ( Aarhus Convention ) International law.
BRING YOUR ANGER TO THE POLITICAL TRAITORS.
Not only will the people of ERRIS be at risk from explosion from the raw gas pipeline [Happens regularly] but on a bigger scale as our gas and oil will fuel the war machines of EUROPE making IRELAND a certain target in future wars.Where then will our already abused Neutrality stand??.Ireland ,a country hat never waged war or plundered another will be dragged into GLOBAL conflict .WAKE UP IRELAND,this is not progress.THIS is madness.SHELL has no CONSCIENCE!!!!!!! Our children deserve a FUTURE.
.
Goodnight all.
.
Thanks for the Photos Michael, keep them coming,
Woulden't you think those thugs would get a real job, and not be acting like cowards, beating up, and terrorising, women,old men, and children.
This is obviously the way I-RMS trains them, one armed combat on old ladies.
Hitler also thought he would rule the world, what happened he lost.
I put the V's there, I know it's obvious in one, but the V's point out the outline of the fence. The V looks more like a victory sign.
I'm not sure if DIY is referring to the article in general, but it seems politicians have been thin on the ground up there. Wouldn't it look like opportunism if they turned up now? Ask S2S what politicians are supporting the campaign.
This struggle is winnable. Victory to the people of Rossport and Shell2Sea....
More pics.....
Great pictures, thanks.
Micheal great photos.
What are shel l thinking of erecting those big black V's in the area are there cameras on top of them or something??
Eh, isn't this - "Feel like doing something? Contact all politicians about this - Contact.ie" slightly contradictory to the message that's being put across in the call out? Or is it to ask your local politician/councillor to come along on the day to help in removing the fences?
The guy in photo no 10, 'the video cameraman' gave me a veiled threat.... "I got one of you", he said.
More to follow.....
6. Two Dogged Fighters
7.The Frontline at the Beachfront
8. Here Come the 'men' in Yellow
9. Scar on the Landscape
10. One of the Camera Users - Known for his Activities.
In light of recent revelations and allegations regarding the deaths in Bolivia of two men who worked on the Shell project as security, I feel it is my duty as a photojournalist, to make images public of some other employees of the security company hired by Shell. See links above for more information.
Some of the aforementioned security personnel did assault some supporters on Sunday last May 3rd. Having witnessed the events at close hand at the fence, all I can say right now is that these people are nothing more than hired vicious thugs. As has been attested to many times before by other witnesses and victims of assault.
All images are copyleft to supporters, campaigners etc, or anyone who can put them to good use ie: Try and get more support for the campaign. Contact me if you require any more from the link below.
Commercial/mainstream media can also contact me at my email address posted above.
For photo essays etc on Rossport: www.myspace.com/libertypix
Thank you for looking, for your support and the kind comments.
Roll On Rossport!!!
1. Scar on The Landscape
2. Scar On The Landscape
3. Scar on The Landscape
4. Nesting Area on Beachfront That is Being Destroyed
5. Dogs and War
Click on Youtube clip here.
Caption: Video Id: _eH9M-R3YeU Type: Youtube Video
We are the People of Erris.
Dublin Shell to Sea will be having a meeting this evening for all interested in going to Erris, Mayo for the National Day of Action on this coming Saturday.
It is important that anyone who is interested in travelling for this day of action do their best to attend this meeting this evening.
The meeting will be held in Semora Spraoi (Belvedere Court, off Gardiner Street, Dublin 1) at 7pm this evening (Tuesday 5th May).
All welcome.
Anyone who is unable to make the meeting this evening can call 085 8328130 for more information.
Totally inspiring images... Really great to see so many people taking action together... Hope to be seeing you all before too long. Shell to HELL!
Victory to the Erris people! Shell out!
Shell Out.
Let's do it right.
Let's do it now.
Let's do it right and let's do it now. Shell OUT.
.
.
Pictures speak for themselves.
All pics copyleft.
See Youtube clip below.
Caption: Video Id: ZbLUnalsstg Type: Youtube Video
Erris People Call Out for Support.