Shell Deliveries Halted by Road Protest

mayo | environment | news report

Tuesday October 25, 2011 19:18

by j debender - Rossport Solidarity Camp

Aughoose, between Bellanaboy and Pullathomas

085 114 1170

On Tuesday morning outside Shell's Bellanaboy refinery in Mayo 15 people blocked a Barrett's quarry truck from making a delivery of stone to Shell's tunneling compound in Aughoose, halting all other deliveries for the morning. One person got on top of the lorry and was arrested.

Tuesday 25th October at 8am, people gathered for what has become the weekly local protest at gate one of Shell's refinery. After some tea and scones, people decided to stop a Shell truck. For about 30 minutes people stood in front of the truck without hassle, letting traffic pass on the other side of the road. Eventually the Gardaí removed people, in some cases being quite rough. One person was pinned to the ground for 5-10 minutes, immobilised. Other people were thrown off the road into ditches. The Gardaí did not hold back against one elderly protester who is almost 80, throwing him around without a second thought. After 10 or 15 minutes of people getting pulled off the road by guards, the truck inching forward as more people got in front of it and then once again get pulled off the road in a continuous rolling blockade, one person got up on top of the truck. She said she wouldn't have done this except that she was sick of seeing people getting thrown around on the road and she knew getting on top of the vehicle would defuse the situation by halting things until she either came down herself or could be removed Gardaí. After staying up on top of the truck for about 30 minutes, the protester climbed down and then was arrested, brought to Belmullet Garda station and released without charge later that day. Shell are scheduled to begin removing peat from the Aughoose tunnelling compound at the end of October or early November, which will mean hundreds of truck movements a day. Come up anytime and support the actions, or simply to visit the area and see for yourself what is going on. The Rossport Solidarity Camp is open to visitors and is located in a field in Aughoose, between Bellanaboy and Pullathomas. This Halloween weekend the Rossport Solidarity Camp is hosting a weekend of direct action training workshops. Also there will be a Day of Solidarity on the 11th of November 2011, at the Aughoose compound. It will mark 5 years since the baton charge on protestors at Bellanaboy. Please come and offer your solidarity to the community who have been protesting against the Corrib Gas project. To contact the camp, ring 085 114 1170 or email rossportsolidaritycamp[at]gmail[dot]com

Throwing people off the road