United Community of Erris Remove Shell Nets.

mayo | environment | feature

Monday April 27, 2009 09:30

by Niall Harnett - Shell to Sea / Rossport Solidarity Camp

rossportsolidaritycamp at gmail dot com

086 8444966

“There is no land that can rightfully be called ‘Shell’s land’. This land is our land”. – Local Resident

Shell nets collected, shredded and bagged for export
(by a united community)

Following a cowardly and vicious attack in the dead of night by Shell mercenaries on Willie Corduff in the early hours of Thursday 23rd April 2009, members of the Erris community assisted by national supporters opposed to the Shell Corrib Gas Project, united at 3pm on Sunday 26th April to rid the Glengad beach and cliffs of Shell nets.

Nets covering mounds of rubble on the Shell site at Glengad were removed also, as Shell security retreated from their usual positions on top of the cliff and inside the perimeter fence surrounding the site.

The fence was cut open by local residents who proceeded to remove and shred the nets before carrying them to the gates of the Shell site which was being guarded by quite a large force of Gardaí.

Related Links from Indymedia.ie:
Previous Indymedia feature: Shell security attack Willie Corduff after illegal Glengad compound dismantled Previous Indymedia feature: Scuffles At Mountjoy As Maura Harrington Is Jailed
Indymedia.ie stories about Shell in Mayo from the Indymedia.ie Archives
Other articles by Niall Harnett on Indymedia.ie

Related Links outside of Indymedia.ie
The website of Shell-to-Sea - CorribSOS.com
Feel like doing something? Contact all politicians about this - Contact.ie

What is now crystal clear in the minds of the Erris community following lies copied and pasted from statements issued by Garda Supt. Michael Larkin and Chief Superintendent Tony McNamara into national media in the last few days, is the collusion between the State, An Garda Síochána, and Shell in the escalation of violent force executed and planned indefinitely against a local community engaged in a fight for its life.

Integrated Risk Management Services (IRMS), Shell’s security at Glengad, headed up by ex-Irish Army Ranger, Jim Farrell, in collusion with An Garda Síochána, are to blame for the vicious attack by up to 10 trained thugs, all dressed in black from head to toe, who beat Willie Corduff into submission, for fear of his life, when he refused to come out from under the wheels of a Shell truck this week. "I thought they were trying to kill me," Corduff said. "They beat me until I stopped moving and I heard one of them say, 'Stop now lads, he's nearly finished.' "

A Community Meeting on Friday 24th last, called in response to the attack, galvanised the local community who are resolved that they will not allow their community be taken over by trained thugs and killers who want to control this area for Shell, into the foreseeable future. “These boys are here to stay”, said one local resident, “Eamon Ryan is responsible for the importation of these scum into our community. Someone is going to get killed if this goes on and Ryan will be to blame”.

A joint press statement calling for an independent international investigation of recent events was put out from community activist groups Shell to Sea, Pobal Le Cheile, Pobal Chill Chomain and the Rossport Solidarity Camp, this weekend.

The community came together again today to remove the Shell netting at the cliff and on the Shell site at Glengad to demonstrate to Shell and the Government that this community will not be beaten back by the violent force which the State is willing to use against its citizens, for Shell.

“The State has been subverted by Shell, it’s down to the people to protect themselves,” said another local resident. And all community groups are agreed.