Belmullet Shell offices shut down by campaigners.

mayo | environment | news report

Tuesday May 17, 2011 23:31

by KatyB - Shell to Sea / Rossport Solidarity Camp

Rossportsolidaritycamp at gmail dot com

Shell's AGM in London and the Netherlands.

In response to Shell's AGM today in The Hague and London, the Shell to Sea campaign have shut down the Belmullet Shell office in protest against the on-going controversial Corrib Gas project which has no local consent or benefit to the people of Ireland. Shell will attempt to begin construction on the high pressure raw gas pipeline shortly despite a legal challenge by An Taisce and two local residents.

This protest is also to highlight the fact that every hour Shell accumulates another £1.6 million pounds sterling ( 1.83 million Euro) by destroying communities across the globe, from the Niger Delta to the Canadian Tar Sands. Shell's appalling record of human rights abuses, oil spills, gas flaring and accidents forces people to protect their communities and their environment.

We call on all shareholders to disinvest.

7.30am..

'The proposed Corrib Gas Project in Erris is a case of environmental injury piled on economic insult; Shell to Sea will continue to resist the imposition of this project on the local community and will continue its campaign to renegotiate the terms which give away our oil and gas for next to nothing'
- spokesperson Maura Harrington.

With Shell employees unable to enter the building, all was reasonably quiet for around three hours - if you don't include the singing and lively discussions of the campaigners. There was a visit from a Canadian who had heard about the campaign and showed up to offer solidarity and brought news of the campaign against the tar sands, another disastrous projects by shell.

At around 11am an executive worker from the Belmullet office, Alan Mee, the ex-Gardai turned big-shot private security Pat Doyle, (..who's Gards?), along with two other heavy looking security types wielding cameras and black leather gloves arrived. They videoed the protest for a while before calling for back up.

A van containing 14 IRMS security guards arrived and forcibly removed the five protesters.

Even though there were three times the amount of security to campaigners they held their ground for as long as possible and managed to stop work for the morning.

Actions continue!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Maura Harrington 087 9591474
Terence Conway 086 0866264

Article on Pat Doyle's transfer:
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&vie...id=46