Successful Shell Picket - Finglas Road - 19/01/08

dublin | environment | news report

Saturday January 19, 2008 20:07

by Jim

Organised by the CYM

Members of the CYM, OSF, IRSP, Dublin S2S and the WSM, along with a number of independent activists, turned out in strength to show their opposition to the construction of the experimental onshore gas refinery in Mayo, and to oppose the give-away of Ireland's national resources to a transnational giant with a terrible track record in all respects, except making profit that is!

The picket started at 12 noon and finshed up some time around 1:50. This was the second picket in the series of pickets organised by the Connolly Youth Movement to take place once a month outside the Shell garage on the Finglas road, opposite Glasnevin Cemetery. The weather held off for the entirety. The picket was successful in dissuading all but a few motorists from entering the garage. There was much support from passing motorists with the customary 'hoot' of the horn from every second car, showing the level of support for the S2S campaign. There was also much support from passers by, many stopping to inquire about the campaign, and to give their support.

The Connolly Youth Movement will continue this series of pickets on the Finglas Road, once a month for the foreseeable future and would encourage any other groups to do S2S pickets in their own local areas as well, to keep up the pressure on Shell and the state.

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Comments (15 of 15)

Organise a demo or two in Norway?

by Coilín

Wed Jan 23, 2008 00:32

aatchoo at gmail dot com

If the plain people of Norway knew what was going on, they would probably demand that their government ensure that the people of Ireland be given the same kind of benefits from Statoil's profits as the Norwegians themselves. And they might even demand an investigation into how it came to pass that we apparently gave them our oil.

I can help with getting slogans and a leaflet of 400 words translated into Norwegian. Mind you, many Norwegians would probably understand the basic message in plain English.

BTW, it may be helpful to post an occasional news report re developments, with particular emphasis on Statoil's role, to the Norwegian Indymedia site: http://www.indymedia.no/
This was a very good post, but more than two years ago:
http://gamle.indymedia.no/newswire/display/18471/index.php
Again, if somebody would like to write an article of about 400 words focusing specifically on the Norwegian angle, e.g. the basics of the campaign in Mayo, Statoil's role, and a call for Norwegians to do x, y and z, then I can get it translated for posting to indymedia.no

Beir bua agus beannacht,
Coilín.

"irish people are very friendly"

by On holiday in Oslo

Tue Jan 22, 2008 22:49

Currently in Oslo visiting from ireland. An expensive place but people are polite and helpfull and the public transport sysytem is fantastic, so much so that it has less traffic snarl ups then a small town in ireland.

Anyway spoke to some natives about stateoil in ireland and they couldn't beleive how generious we are to the people of norway when it comes to the corrib field. One guy said "does your government not know about this?" - To save me from getting embarrased in case they think all irish people are dodgy types with low IQ's, i said "lets not go there".

Banners

by Tadhg

Tue Jan 22, 2008 19:37

There are of course no rules to this, and some people would probably tell you different, but since the beginning of the Shell to Sea campaign there has been a bit of an effort to "submerge" party or group affiliation within the campaign.

The problem is, that if there is a protest organised for Shell to Sea purposes, and a group of activists from for example, The Democratic Unionist Party, should show up with a banner, then a passing member of the public might think the whole thing had been organised by the DUP.

So the other groups, not wanting all the pictures in the papers or on indymedia to feature only DUP material, bring their own banners next time, so then you have this huge traffic jam of banners with some people trying to get theirs to the front, and before you know it the whole reason that the protest was there in the first place gets lost in the forest of signage. Those who don't belong to any of the groups can be a wee bit put off by being brought under party umbrellas in this way too.

At the same time, some groups want to make clear who they are, and no one could be critical of this.

So a sort of compromise has grown up whereby people bring placards indicating their groups provenence, but banners are just relating to the campaign. It's not a hard and fast rule, since there are no rules, but a kind of gentlemen's agreement.

The IRSP banner above really says Boycott Shell with IRSP tacked on, so it's somewhere in between, but I think a passing motorist might think the whole picket was organised by the IRSP, given the size of it. Maybe next time it could be folded down a bit or a smaller one used?

Anyway, good protest, my prediction is that the Shell in Glasnevin will be trading under a different name soon.

well I dunno

by Chrissie

Tue Jan 22, 2008 19:06

Following a previous anti-Shell action, there were complaints about activists not identifying groups they belonged to; some1's gonna moan whatever u do! I can't see what's wrong in naming yr group; it occurs to me to ask was that a genuine complaint or some1 stirring up strife? Let's have more solidarity for this important cause.

RE CYM

by jim

Tue Jan 22, 2008 15:02

Hi.

Is there any particular reason why your issue with the banner was not mentioned on the day? - as opposed to bringing the issue up on a public forum where you remain anonymous. There was an opportune moment for the CYM to mention this on the day. Rather than four days later on indymedia.

What efforts have you made in trying to encourage organisations to not bring party banners? - despite inviting paraphernalia.

You have come to the assumption that the IRSP attended the picket for self promotion, which I find quite insulting, especially when IRSP members attended previously and stood in the cold for over an hour without this "party promotion". Infact, the CYM are guilty of party promotion also. Why bother putting "CYM" on your placards? - why put your website address at the end of a news report? - why mention CYM at all? - what difference does it make what party or organisation is organizing the picket, once people turn up for the issue?. You are setting the limits of "moral" promotion.

Your approach was quite offensive, and as said, insulting, but we will remove the offending letters nonetheless.

...

by CYM - CYM

Tue Jan 22, 2008 13:41

Hi,

Just a word to the IRSP people who come to the pickets.

We're trying to encourage people not to bring huge party banners to the pickets. People should come for the issue, not for the self promotion of their organisation.

No offence or anything, just next time maybe you could bring your banner without the giant "IRSP" bit on top?

Thanks.

Good Stuff

by Nikita - CYM

Mon Jan 21, 2008 17:52

Fair play on the Statoil demo lads! Interesting the Quays station has changed hands, perhaps they were getting sick of being picketed! :D

S2S

Statoil

by ONE OIL

Sun Jan 20, 2008 21:31

A planned picket of the Statoil station on Ushers Quay today had to be called off because the garage has changed its badge sometime in the last few weeks and now operates as ONE OIL.

So, a group of activists, most but not all from Ogra Shinn Féin, spent the afternoon giving out leaflets and raising awareness outside the Statoil Head Office, under the watchful of Garda Special Branch and some well behaved uniformed cops.

Fair play

by MacE

Sun Jan 20, 2008 15:18

Well done all for turning out, great stuff. See you soon in north Erris.

It's growing

by lulu

Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:37

The campaign for S/Hell to go offshore continues to grow - see yez in Mayo! Solidarity all.

Gura Míle

by Maura Harrington - S2S; Davitt League

Sat Jan 19, 2008 23:02

Thanks a million to all involved. It is a measure of the tenacity of people at local and national level that, into its eighth year, the S2S campaign is holding its own against dying but still dangerous Big Oil (ditto Bert).

The trolls will rush to repeat the mantra that 'it's all over; look at the refinery site; get a grip', etc. etc.

But ... Only Connect???

Apologies

Sat Jan 19, 2008 21:52

Sorry about that. We were told there was no others taking photo's at the picket, so the report was started. Also, it should have been the third time, rather than the second.

Apologies again.

Few More..

Sat Jan 19, 2008 21:47

Cya in February! Solidarity.

Shell To Hell

Shell Chun Saile

Haha

You kinda beat us to it at posting up a news report lads..

Sat Jan 19, 2008 21:40

For the third month in a row, the CYM and other Shell To Sea protesters joined forces at the Shell Station on Finglas road near Glasnevin to show their solidarity with the people of Rossport.

The picket lasted from 12pm untill 1.30pm with over 20 protesters in attendance plus an RTE camera man at one stage. Many passersby took leaflets while passing traffic tooted their horns in support, much to the annoyance of the station manager. The police presence was considerably less than on the previous pickets, which was nice, hopefully they were off doing real police work rather than hassling peaceful protesters like they normally do. The picket ended in high spirits, with comrades packing up their gear to head home but we'll be back next month and hopefully we'll see you there!

The Connolly Youth Movement will continue this series of pickets on the Finglas Road, once a month for the foreseeable future and would encourage any other groups to do S2S pickets in their own local areas as well, keep up the pressure on Shell and the state.

www.cym.ie

Comrades