Cork Shell to Sea picket local Garda Headquarters
cork |
rights, freedoms and repression |
news report 
Wednesday October 04, 2006 12:29
by John Jefferies - Cork Shell to Sea Campaign
corkshelltosea at gmail dot com
Up to 25 members of the Cork Shell to Sea support campaign this morning picketted the city's main garda station at Anglesea Street which is also the Munster HQ of an Garda Siochana in protest at the heavy-handed treatment of peaceful Shell to Sea protesters at Bellinaboy, Co. Mayo yesterday.
Organised at short notice after yesterday's disgraceful scenes in Mayo, the Cork protest received widespread public support from passers by and motorists who honked their car horns in support.
Protesters were particularly angry at the fact that a large contingent of gardai were brought from Cork to enforce Shell's entry to it's proposed refinery site at Bellanaboy. A leaflet distributed to hundreds of morning commuters called on rank and file gardai to reflect on the orders they are receiving in taking sides with multi-national corporations against a beleagured community.
Among those participating in this morning's protest were Cork city councillors Mick Barry (Socialist Party) and Johnathan O'Brien (Sinn Féin) along with members of the Workers' Solidarity Movement, Workers' Party and Socialist Workers Party.
If you can't find a garda in Cork this week, now you know why!
Comments (6 of 6)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6We very much appreciate people's support from the "Rebel" county. Darkness has decended on my community but the light of truth will eventually burn's away the blackness of lies and suppression!!
At 8:30 this morning (Wednesday 4th October), members of Cork Shell to Sea and their supporters assembled to mount a picket of the main Garda station in Cork city, to protest at the use of the Gardai to remove protestors with force from outside the gates of the site of the proposed refinery at Bellanaboy, Rossport, Co. Mayo. The presence of Cork Gardai as part of that force of privatised muscle only made Cork Shell to Sea more determined that this protest should take place.
Protestors assembled very shortly after 8:30am and immediately put the public of the city on notice that Gardai from here were a large part of the contingent sent to Mayo to defy the people's will. Public response was very good, with lots of honks of support from the busy traffic on Anglesea St., and drivers and passers by were eager to take the leaflets that the protestors were distributing. In contrast, the response from inside the Garda station was one of deafening silence - every Garda entering by the front door affected not to notice the protest, and no one was sent out from the station to either dialogue with the protestors or find out what was being protested. Embarrassment or surliness - your guess is as good as mine!
Given the bright morning sunshine and the excellent response from the non-blue-uniformed public, the mood among the protestors was very good, and the atmosphere outside the station was relaxed and lacking the tension and menace that Cork Gardai are imposing on the good citizens of Erris. A particular highlight - a passing Army contingent in a 4x4 greeted the protest with laughs and smiles and took the leaflets being distributed - obviously not fans of their over-paid and overbearing colleagues!
The protest was maintained outside the station until shortly after 10am, and another pair of highlights of the morning then occurred. First, a passing motorist delivered coffee and biscuits to the protestors to show her support. I have been at many actions and protests over the years and this is the first time I've had this pleasant experience. It goes to show that people's concern for their fellow citizens will not be smokescreened over by Bertie's bluster or Marvellous Mickey's dawfakery in Dail Eireann. Second, just as we were fixing to go after ten, another group of supporters showed up to continue the protest a little while longer. The struggles of the Erris communities are being followed closely by their fellow citizens in the rest of the country, despite the false appearances portrayed by a gutless mainstream media. The success of today's action emboldens us to continue our solidarity work, and it is likely we'll return again soon to continue to highlight the shameful role of Gardai from this city in preventing peaceful protest at Bellanaboy.
Show some reserve Guards!
Outraged citizen demonstrating attention
No justice here just privatised public order
Message to disgraced Gardai
Links - Shell and Shannon Garda shame
Just another couple of photos from the protest
Getting the message across in large letters
Taking a break from leaflet distro
Protest today lunchtime about 60 attended,another at Shell Donnybrook tonight at 6-onward!
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/78784
The title says it all. What a poor turn out for something that is supposed to have the support of the Irish people!
These activities are not rallies - They are conviened to highlight whats going on in Mayo since the mainstream media don't seem capable of objective reporting on anything that challenges the interests of big-business. As you have heard the reponse form the passing public is heartening for our cause up here - They are also arranged at the very last minute which makes whats going on even more impressive!!
Indymedia Ireland is a media collective. We are independent volunteer citizen journalists producing and distributing the authentic voices of the people. Indymedia Ireland is an open news project where anyone can post their own news, comment, videos or photos about Ireland or related matters.