How a bunch of runners embarrassed a Marathon!
At 11:30 this morning, ten members of Cork Shell to Sea staged an occupation of Marathon Oil's Irish HQ in Mahon, Cork. Many of the people on the action were dressed as runners, both as a play on the company name and as an allusion to the marathon determination of the Erris communities and the campaign itself. Entry was swift, easy, and unforced. We were inside there for over half an hour before the Gardai arrived. A spirited and good-natured dialogue occurred between Cork S2S members and senior management at Marathon Oil. We left dragging our heels a little, making our departure protracted.
At 11:30 this morning, ten members of Cork Shell to Sea staged an occupation of Marathon Oil's Irish HQ in Mahon, Cork. Until now, the role of Marathon Oil in the Corrib Gas scandal has received little or no attention from either the campaign or the media. Marathon are happy to let Shell be the bloody spear-point of the Big Oil takeover of Ireland's natural resources, while Marathon themselves can pretend it has nothing to do with them. Given what has happened up in Erris over the last seven years and yes, Marathon Oil has been involved from the very beginning, Marathon's self-serving guff about 'corporate responsibility' on their website reads like a sick joke.
Many of the people on the action were dressed as runners, both as a play on the company name and as an allusion to the marathon determination of the Erris communities and the campaign itself. Entry was swift, easy, and unforced. The runners took themselves about the not-at-all-impressive corporate outpost (I have some funny footage of this, maybe later) and made a noisy friendly boisterous racket about the place. Specially-made leaflets were distributed about the building and cunningly secreted in some places. The Marathon Oil bosses were mostly uptight and from all appearances they had told the subordinates to hide and stay away from the protestors. Either that or it's the only workplace in Ireland that's all chiefs and no braves.
We were inside there for over half an hour before the Gardai arrived. A spirited and good-natured dialogue occurred between Cork S2S members and senior management at Marathon Oil. There was one executive there who didn't suffer from the defensive-aggressive paranoia of his colleagues, and was engaged in civil argument by Gráinne for much of the time we were there. We left dragging our heels a little, making our departure protracted. Stalwart delaying tactics from savvy veterans like Pat the Picket reduced a senior Guard to using words like 'please' and 'may you?', most un-Garda-like behaviour. Once Marathon and the cops had removed us from their tatty car park and nondescript office slum, they closed and locked the gates. Both us and the Gardai hung around for a while, us handing out leaflets to passing drivers and pedestrians, the cops watching us from their cars.
Soon after we went to a nearby supermarket, and had our banners prominently displayed at the crossroads there. It was then that the Gardai saw fit to arrest one of our number, Arran, allegedly for some bullshit road traffic stuff. He's still in the Bridewell Garda Station at the time of writing, and several of us are outside with our banners etc. waiting for him to be released from the clutches of those spiteful fiends. All in all a fun action to do, it gives Marathon Oil something to think about as they cower in their low-rent outpost in the neo-imperial boondocks, and we distributed 300 or more leaflets in the action. And those Marathon guys should really lighten up!
Random thought: Marathon have been in Ireland operating gas wells and yes offshore refining platforms for the last 30 years. Given the state of their local HQ, it appears Marathon are not keen on spending one cent more than they have to in Ireland.
A lying-down occupation action
Gráinne with whatshisname from Marathon Oil
Outside the gates after we left - note the closed, locked gates.
Comments (8 of 8)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Excellent stuff! About time Marathon were put in the spotlight. Sorry I couldn't be there myself but well done again. Keep us updated on the arrestee please.
You fools you were in the wrong place! Didn't you know that the real Marathon OIl Company is now known as Snickers Energy?
Mo ghraidhn sibh, muintir Chorcaí.
Machan faoi ionsaí agaibh! Go maith!
More high-quality entertainment from the Rebels.
Arron was released without charge after about 2 hours.
Well done you guys,looked like fun.
glad arran wasn't charged.
keep up the pressure.
Well done you lot. Our friends in Mayo need all the support that they can get. We need to get more people out in the peoples republic of Cork. It is time to stand up and be counted against this type of oppression. Keep us posted on future events and let them hear the rebels roar.
May 1st
it would be an idea to occupy shell headquaters in dublin for as long as physically possible with as many people as possible on may 1st. if a couple of hundred people turned up you could stay there for the whole day. bands, speechs and road blocks could grab media attention!!!!
time to get active as ONE BIG group.
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