Shell & Gardaí force community from Glengad beach

mayo | environment | news report

Thursday July 24, 2008 15:34

by Rudiger - Shell to Sea

This morning at approximately 8:00am over 40 gardaí, who are now stationed in the Shell compound, and 70 Shell specialist security forced the local community from a section of Glengad beach so that Shell could erect 10ft high fencing about 40ft down onto the beach.

Security & Cops marching down together

This morning at approximately 8:00am over 40 gardaí, who are now stationed in the Shell compound, and 70 Shell specialist security forced the local community from a section of Glengad beach so that Shell could erect 10ft high fencing about 40ft down onto the beach.

Using the Public Order Act, Superintendent John Gilligan ordered the crowd to leave the area and then the gardaí forcibly removed some of the protestors from the area. The members of the local community had been gathering from before 4am because they feared that Shell would begin work early as they had on the previous morning when they tore down the cliff-face to create a causeway down to the beach. Yesterday it was only the security guards who kept locals for walking on sections of the beach, today however it was a joint Garda & Shell security operation. This was very evident from Shell security managers telling gardaí where to stand and the head gardaí liaising closely with the security managers.

It all started with one of the most surreal things I have ever seen in my life with over a hundred security and garda intermixed coming down the causeway and streaming out of a thin gate in the fencing. Then they formed a cordon around where they were planning to put up the fencing and then the gardaí came in and forcibly removed the protestors who were inside the security bubble. There was little that the group of around 30 protestors could do but watch on as the fencing was erected down to the water’s edge. It is presumed that Shell will seek to extend the fencing further once the tide has gone out again. However far it extends, it already cuts the beach in two, which of course means that beach goers do not have the right of way through the beach.

Shell to Sea campaigner Terence Conway stated “The gardaí have always spoken about keeping the roads open for the public and Shell alike however today they are willing to close off a public beach so that Shell can fence it off”.

The legality of the consents given is still an issue of major concern to the people of the locality as it is still unclear what permissions Shell have received and for what exact work. While Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan has claimed that it was just an “oversight” that the latest authorisations for the project wasn’t published, this clouding of what consents have been granted has been a characteristic of the whole Corrib Project. On the Green Party website it claims that the party is for “open government and “more decision-making at community level”. Will then why has the Green Ministers contribution been about trying to hide information from the affected community and not listening and respecting the local opposition to this project. Both the Depts. of Environment and Energy seem to only give out information to journalists and ignore any other requests for information.

Shell is now attempting to construct up to the first 200m metres of the onshore section of the pipeline without it going through planning permission at all. Although the remaining 9.2km of the onshore pipeline is presently before An Bord Pleanala, this first 200m metres is due to be laid before a decision on the rest of the onshore section has been made.

Terence Conway continued ”The fact is that this first onshore section is the most dangerous part of the whole project as the pressure could be as high as 345bar and still it will not have gone through any planning if it is constructed”.

The further destruction of the SAC has continued unabated even under the eyes of the National Parks and Wildlife whose ranger monitored the sand martin colony from inside the Shell compound yesterday. Don’t worry though, I was told yesterday the sand martins about 10metres away haven’t been disturbed at all.

Security Cordon on Glengad Beach

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Comments (11 of 11)

Temporary fence, permament damage

by JM

Sun Jul 27, 2008 01:59

The fencing put up on Glengad beach is supposed to be temporary, but the impacts will last much longer than a few weeks. Rocks jutting out of the sand, close to shore and away from the proposed pipeline route, have been obliterated by Shell's excavators and used as footings for the second incomplete section of "temporary" fence.

The first fence is proving much more temporary than planned, as it is falling back into the sea after only a few hours. Welds are failing, concrete bases are chipping and cracking right through, concrete supports are sinking into the sand, and the whole sorry mess is in disarray after just two days of calm weather and gentle seas.

The rocks that have been smashed had been acting as natural wave-breakers, absorbing the tidal energy and helping to reduce coastal erosion at Glengad. Now the disturbed and weakened cliff-face will be fully exposed to the rigours of the Atlantic Ocean often quoted by Shell.

Ancient protective rocks, destroyed forever for a "temporary" fence...

freshly smashed rocks

experimental fencing

crooked fencing falling into the sea

Temporary works

by Jim

Sat Jul 26, 2008 14:45

The fencing on the beach is only temporary works and will be gone within weeks...

shell to sea

by eddie walsh

Sat Jul 26, 2008 11:26

Cromwell said to hell or to Connaught but now hell has arrived in Connaught with the disgraceful behaviour of the free state police forcing locals from their own beach.

Getting there

by Eve

Sat Jul 26, 2008 09:13

The subject of "State Tyranny", and its well established and strong links with Erris (County Mayo) is now being listed by Google -- which hopefully might do some good, by way of showing the world that "state tyranny" is not by any means restricted to places like Zimbabwe: as many connected with the mainstream/establishment media would have us all believe.

At the time of writing, a recent Indymedia (Ireland) article on the tyrannous "Erris" subject is the 2nd item on Page 1 of the Google list at http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=State+Tyranny%2C+E...earch

A Sickening Sight

by kate

Fri Jul 25, 2008 22:27

When I saw the latest pictures on our public beach, words fail me. All Green Party supporters and like minded people should not take matters in their own hands and stage a National Rally in Dublin calling for Eamon Ryan to resign. This donkey has proved that he is no more than a Fianna Fail puppet. Shame on the Government, we are the unfortunates to live in a country run by complete brainless donkeys. Irelands future is at stake, what is happening in Mayo today could happen anywhere in the country tomorrow.

More photos from this morning

by Rudiger

Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:43

The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
But leaves the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from off the goose.

State Tyranny

Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:58

The situation outlined in this article has just prompted me to "Google" the words "State Tyranny".

At the present time the first page (at least) of the Google list contains no mention at all of the goings-on in Mayo (see at http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=State+Tyranny&btnG...earch ).

It should do though (in my view), and hopefully it will before too much longer.

For what appears to me to be a really interesting example of the "kettle calling the pot black" (in connection with state tyranny), the "Outposts of tyranny" article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outposts_of_tyranny is also worth a quick look.

Whats going on?

by Alan in Mayo

Thu Jul 24, 2008 21:10

I bet this will not hit the 9 o'clock news or the national media. The general press silence is deafening and very worrying in a supposed democracy like ours!

MAKE A NOISE

by Chrissie

Thu Jul 24, 2008 17:41

If you can't get to Erris, make some noise to the Government, Parks and Wildlife, and the silent Green Party. Remind them what 'Republic' is supposed to mean. This whole thing stinks of Gov't corruption at all levels.

Disgraceful

by Mark C

Thu Jul 24, 2008 17:28

This is disgraceful, absolutely disgraceful. Shame on Shell; shame on the Gardaí, shame on the government.

Best of luck with the protesting.

Mark.

4 More photos

Thu Jul 24, 2008 15:42