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Shell To Sea Campaign Goes on the Offensive

category mayo | anti-capitalism | feature author Monday February 20, 2006 16:13author by William Report this post to the editors

Blockades and protests from Ennis to Dublin, from Cork to Nottingham

featured image
Shell Dubin HQ Blockaded

After a relatively quiet Winter, spent on speaking tours and accumulating resources to re-open the Rossport Solidarity Camp in the Spring, the Shell To Sea Campaign swang dramatically back into action with blockades and protests and a promise that this was only a taster of the direct action to come in Mayo if Shell and their cronies in Dail Eireann continue to trample on local people and force through their on-shore refinement plant.

The Action:
London Shell Station Blockaded
Galway Shell to Sea Action
Nottingham Actions 2
Cork Statoil Protest
(See The Rest Of This Feature For Account Of Dublin Action)

Background From Indymedia Ireland Archives

Shell HQ Blockaded in Dublin

70 people blocked both entrances – on Leeson St and Adelaide Road – for about an hour using a D-Lock and about 20 bicycles. The action, which was advertised as a rally outside the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources on the other side of Adelaide Road, was organised to draw attention to the opening of the Rossport Solidarity Camp next week.

The main door of Corrib House was locked by Shell to Sea members and then other supporters chained their bicycles in a line across the entrance. No staff were seen to leave or arrive during the blockade.

In the Rossport area in Co Mayo, continuous blockades by locals since last summer have prevented work on the Corrib Gas pipeline and refinery from taking place. Today simultaneous actions took place in Cork, Amsterdam and Sweden.

There was virtually no Garda presence at the action in Dublin, but there was a heavy media presence.

(More photos to follow later)

Related Link: http://www.shelltosea.com

Protestors stand behind a barrier of their own bicycles
Protestors stand behind a barrier of their own bicycles

Canvassing the public
Canvassing the public

Anarchist Youth leave their (hand)mark
Anarchist Youth leave their (hand)mark

author by William Hpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 18:43author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Here (below) is a link to the Rossport Solidarity Camp website

Support from a range of political groups
Support from a range of political groups

Saving money – the bottom line for Shell
Saving money – the bottom line for Shell

Related Link: http://www.struggle.ws/rsc
author by krossie - wsmpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 18:55author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Has anyone being following developements in Nigeria? - crazy stuff

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=2006021...24418

author by W - Anarchist Youthpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 19:11author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Shell office is looking better than ever now!

author by Majella - osipublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 19:20author address author phone Report this post to the editors

My goodwill and support. What a good show!

author by JIMpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 19:52author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Good to see people standing up for what they believe, not on their knees hoping not to be rolled over.

author by Starstruckpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 19:56author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Great stuff,good preemptive action as the construction season appraoches.
Particular plaudits to Anarchist Youth,if this is a sign of things to come form the group,its very positive.
Solidarity!

author by pat cpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 19:56author address author phone Report this post to the editors

the flags look great flying at that angle over the hell placard. congrats!

author by Johnpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 20:45author address author phone Report this post to the editors

So, clearly the leader of the Green Party is happy to be associated with scrawling ugly graffitti on a public building. Clearly this man has no respect for the environment. Ugly graffitti is a form of litter. I'm sure he'd be enraged if some FF TD scrawled 'Victory to FF' on the wall of the Green Party HQ.

author by W - anarchist youthpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 20:51author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I'm afraid anarchist youth thought about the indymedia trolls this time and decided to use chalk. You want to talk about the environment, let's talk about rossport and not the concrete and steel of corrib house.

author by Johnpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 21:37author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Then, since you're worried about trolls, please use chalk for all your graffitti from now on, instead of the paint with which you've defaced many of Dublin's public buildings in the past. Delighted to talk about the environment. But, preferably with an adult rather than adolescents who've discovered that 'anarchism' is the latest fad thing. Try me in a few years when you've grown up and probably working as a highly-paid executive in some multi-national. And, if you think that's unlikely, go check out what all the 'anarchist youth' of the 1980s are doing now

author by EC - RSCpublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 21:40author address author phone Report this post to the editors

RTE six -one news had really good coverage of the blockade. They even mentioned the camp opening. It all looked really impressive. Well done to all in Dublin Shell to Sea (dublin shell to hell?).

Related Link: http://www.struggle.ws/rsc/
author by maura harrington - davitt leaguepublication date Fri Feb 17, 2006 21:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

To all involved in the organisation of, and participation in, today's events - thanks.
I believe that, together, we will see to it that the new century and new millenium will reclaim reason in the face of last century's profit-fuelled madness.
I would like to put on record my respect for the great people who camped in solidarity with Rossport last Summer. It will be great to see you all back again soon - with more friends.
Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireanns muid.

author by Coilínpublication date Sat Feb 18, 2006 00:40author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Back in the 1940s, when Noam Chomsky first began to develop his political views, I imagine some people dismissed his thinking with condescending comments like this:
" ... discovered that 'anarchism' is the latest fad thing. Try me in a few years when you've grown up ... "

I don't know where the anarchist youth of the 1980s have gone, there were not many in my home town of Cork, but I know that one anarchist youth of the 1940s went on to spend 50 years lecturing in linguistics at MIT, participating in demonstrations against the Vietnam war and subsequent American invasions, bringing up a family in a loving relationship with his wife, and writing a series of books documenting the discrepancies between what America says and what it does.

Try us in a few years' time, John? :)

Best,
Coilín.

author by Sharon - Individualpublication date Sat Feb 18, 2006 00:58author address author phone Report this post to the editors

'In a few years time' .... 'John' no doubt hopes to be quaffing a fine drink on the porch of his holiday home whilst checking his stocks in the pages of the FT . All paid for by the likes of Shell .

Not all of us see that as a priority for ourselves , 'John' .
Full marks to those protestors - well done !

Sharon .

Related Link: http://1169andcounting.blogspot.com
author by anarchaeologist - GrassrootsDissentpublication date Sat Feb 18, 2006 01:26author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well Dunaree, I was an anarchist youth in the '80s and I suppose I'm still an anarchist now and yes, I hold down a job, I've kids, a mortgage etc. I heard comments like yours 20 years ago and I suppose I had enough self-awareness then to realise I was intelligent enough, educated enough to 'do well', whatever that's supposed to mean. But I'm still an anarchist and I'll tell you why.

You see Dunaree, as long as inequality and injustice and the tyranny of those who benefit from inequality exist, there will be those who will oppose it. It's simple, it's the way we humans are. And nowadays, more people are beginning to realise that non-hierarchical structures of organisation are more effective in opposing inequality, because they encourage meaningful personal participation. Some folk just don't like other folk taking responsibility for themselves and their actions, it doesn't suit their cosy status quo.

And you know what Dunaree, as you may have guessed from my moniker, I take a longer look at history than most. I've seen forms of libertarian struggle come and go but there's more of us out there now than ever before and we're not going to go away.

And regarding Rossport, why do you think Shell have had such an easy deal from the government? Do you not think the country could benefit from the sustainable exploitation of our national resources? What about a decent health service? For even you will get old Dunaree and even with all the taxes and PRSI I'm assuming you've paid over the years, it won't guarantee you the last few years of your dotage free of poverty. Do you not feel that as another person dies on the streets, during a time when the economy is booming, that it reflects directly on you and me as we type away the hours in our warm homes? Because I've read some of your posts over the years and you seem the patriotic type.

But then maybe you think the poor will always be with us and maybe that suits you... You probably don't even give a shit that Ray Burke's getting a pension that you're contributing to.

Anyway Dunaree, why don't you try me in a few years when you've grown older; I'll still be an anarchist and you'll just be even more bitter. Though sadly I'd imagine, unrepentant.

Anyway, enough time wasted on you and your negative stupidity. Thanks to everyone who turned up at Corrib House today, be they anarchists, Shinners, Greens, Swippers, Sps, Lps, civilians, whatever.

See you all in Rossport. Shell to Sea!

img_8030.jpg

Related Link: http://www.struggle.ws/rsc/
author by Elainepublication date Sat Feb 18, 2006 04:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

... photos.

Pack Yer Bags Andy
Pack Yer Bags Andy

Banners And Flags
Banners And Flags

Terry Sneaks Up On Trev
Terry Sneaks Up On Trev

Trevor Joins The Line Up
Trevor Joins The Line Up

The Blockade Is On
The Blockade Is On

author by Elainepublication date Sat Feb 18, 2006 04:48author address author phone Report this post to the editors

.

Chalk Markings On Wall
Chalk Markings On Wall

Chalk Markings On Ground; That's Some Welcome Mat
Chalk Markings On Ground; That's Some Welcome Mat

More Chalk - It's A Versatile Medium
More Chalk - It's A Versatile Medium

Guard Suffers Heart Attack
Guard Suffers Heart Attack

Not Dante's Inferno - This One's The Real Deal For Rossport
Not Dante's Inferno - This One's The Real Deal For Rossport

author by Elainepublication date Sat Feb 18, 2006 05:01author address author phone Report this post to the editors

... sorry, Scrum.

Photographers Enclosure
Photographers Enclosure

Sometimes They Congregate In Small Groups
Sometimes They Congregate In Small Groups

Others Are Loners By Nature
Others Are Loners By Nature

Show Us Yer Profile Trevor
Show Us Yer Profile Trevor

author by ('',) - Anarchist Youthpublication date Sat Feb 18, 2006 14:14author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Great day. Great fun.

Flags, chalk and red paint were lovely.

btw: There was good footage of the blockade on the 7pm TG4 news yesterday.

author by pat cpublication date Sat Feb 18, 2006 14:51author address author phone Report this post to the editors

great pictures, especially the one of the banana skin on the door. shell will slip up!

author by Chekovpublication date Mon Feb 20, 2006 17:49author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This story is now a global Indymedia Feature. See the link below

Related Link: http://www.indymedia.org/en/2006/02/833738.shtml
author by redjadepublication date Mon Feb 20, 2006 19:00author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Mayo War goes Global!

Click to see fill 188k size screen shot
Click to see fill 188k size screen shot

author by Seánpublication date Mon Feb 20, 2006 19:17author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I have also started a thread on this on www.politics.ie

author by Michael R.publication date Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:28author address author phone Report this post to the editors

A big well done to the 70 people involved in this protest. Terrific stuff. This campaign has real momentum. Let us all get behind it and really drive Shell (and the Irish Government that are supporting them) to Sea! And lets see if Ireland can regain our most valuable natural resources which the government so horrendrously gave away to the multi-nationals.

author by chekov - 1 of Indymedia Ireland Editorial Grouppublication date Tue Feb 21, 2006 14:21author email chekov at indymedia dot ieauthor address author phone Report this post to the editors

See http://www.indymedia.org.uk

author by redjadepublication date Tue Feb 21, 2006 14:29author address author phone Report this post to the editors

looking good!

Screen Shot for the history books
Screen Shot for the history books

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