Solidarity Demonstration at Headquarters of Shell Exploitation and Production, Leeson Street, Dublin

large crowd shows support for people of Erris County Mayo

In Mayo, hundreds of police are being used to force Shell contractors through the picket of local people at the site of the disputed giant gas refinery at Ballinaboy every morning.

Today at 1PM, supporters of the Shell to Sea Campaign gathered at the Shell Headquarters of Shell Exploitation and Production Ireland,(52 Lwr Leeson Street) in Dublin, to express solidarity with the besieged people of Erris.

Activists from political groups such as Workers Solidarity Movement, Grassroots, Sinn Féin, The Socialist Workers Party, the Green Party, and others, as well as many people who belong to no group except Shell to Sea, blockaded the entrances to Shell's Corporate Base on Leeson Street at lunchtime.

An organiser of the Shell to Sea Campaign said:

“The forcing through of contractors to work on a giant gas refinery which is neither needed or wanted by the local community goes against every notion of democracy and local consultation.

"The gas from the Corrib field will not benefit the community or the people of Ireland. Under the terms of the Fianna Fáil deal, only Shell will profit from its exploitation; and to maximise those profits, they are using the Gardaí to trample over the legitimate concerns of the people of Erris, who wisely want the gas processed safely offshore.

“We in Dublin will continue to protest at the government’s collaboration with Shell’s dangerous plans, and the use of the police to deny the rights of the Rossport people to protect their homes and livelihoods.”

.

"Why did you join the Guards? "To protect corporate interests. Why did you?" "For the leather trousers..."

Crowd scene outside Shell HQ

Leeson Street

Shell Chun Sáile