Rossport Solidarity
Reporting on the ongoing struggle in Mayo, Ireland against a pipeline build by oil giant Shell
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16-10-2006 16:22
Since late 2000 there has been an on-going attempt by multinationals and the Irish state to devastate a remote coastal area of county Mayo with a toxic refinery and a high pressure production gas pipeline. Since then there has been an ongoing struggle to keep Shell out of Mayo. Pickets, blockades, benefit gigs, demonstrations and speaking tours have been happening all over Ireland, the UK and beyond.
Links: Shell in Mayo | Rossport Solidarity Camp | Shell to Sea | Indymedia Ireland | Indymedia Mayo
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Rossport: The Time is Now
21-08-2008 18:45
Saturday saw the start of a week of action in Rossport, County Mayo, as Shell attempt to push forward with the next stage in the Corrib gas development. In late July Shell commenced preparatory pipeline work and built a compound on Glengad beach, former home of the Rossport Solidarity Camp. There were heart breaking scenes as the company began their destruction of this once pristine bay. Tens of locals resisted, many were arrested and one hospitalized. This week, the world’s largest pipeline ship, the Solitaire, is expected to enter the bay to begin work on the offshore pipeline. Believed to be booked up for the next 2 years, the Solitaire has just 2 weeks to complete its part in the pipeline construction. On Saturday, a crew of boat activists, fresh from the Climate Camp’s Rebel Regatta, reclaimed Glengad beach. Occurring on the day the Solitaire was due to arrive in the area, this is the first in a series of actions aiming to stop pipeline work. The Rossport community have made a call out for people to come to the area to help them resist at this crucial time.
Newswire: Rossport: The Time is Now | Rossport update | Urgent Call Out: Mayo Needs You! Now Is The Time
Previous features: Rossport: Another Season of Resistance | Shell to Sea campaign intensifies as work on refinery begins | Community under siege in Mayo
Video: Locals resist Shell’s occupation of Glengad | Shell to Sea campaign video
Links: Shell to Sea | Rossport Solidarity camp | Indymedia Ireland Mayo page | Indymedia UK Rossport Solidarity page
Rossport: Another Season of Resistance
22-11-2007 10:09
Since 2000 the small rural community of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland have been engaged in an epic battle trying to prevent Shell from building a potentially devastating onshore gas refinery and high pressure pipeline in their remote and environmentally sensitive region. Despite Shell’s status as one of the world’s largest multinationals and it’s enjoyment of the full support of the Irish state, the spirited and effective resistance of the local community means that four years after the refinery was intended to be fully operational, the project is still in its infancy.
For many different reasons the struggle is truly inspiring. The Shell to Sea campaign is fought on a multitude of levels, from the international political arena, to on the ground at the daily picket at the proposed refinery site. It has been an eventful seven years and this autumn has been no exception. Over the past few months direct action against the development has included national days of action attended by hundreds of people from around Ireland, community led direct action preventing preparatory pipeline work and regular blockading of trucks entering the refinery site by those attending the daily picket. Also during this period, campaigners were ordered to leave the two year old Rossport Solidarity Camp. Meanwhile the project has met renewed opposition from NGO’s, including the Irish National Trust, who recently spoke out publicly against the project and outlined their intention to challenge its legitimacy in the European courts.
And of course, where there is resistance, repression follows shortly after. The local court sessions have become increasingly dominated by Shell to Sea cases and protesters have been subject to dubious convictions and excessively harsh sentences, including one woman being sentenced to three months in prison for her part in a peaceful lock-on blockade. As winter sets in resistance continues. The rest of the article outlines the significant events of the last few months in more detail…
Recent Indymedia articles: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | IMC UK Rossport Solidarity Topic
Other links: Shell To Sea | Indymedia Irelend Mayo Features
Films: Policing The Pollution: "Don't Mention The Water." | Stopping Shell from drilling the SAC | Rossport Shell site storming | Shell gas refinery blockade at bellanaboy
Shell to Sea campaign intensifies as work on refinery begins
26-07-2007 02:17
This summer has seen the Shell to Sea campaign gain increasing momentum as construction of the proposed onshore gas refinery in County Mayo, Ireland, begins. The planned refinery and the high pressure pipeline, which would supply it with unprocessed gas from the offshore Corrib gas field, have been bitterly opposed by local residents and their many national and international supporters, since it was first proposed in 2000. Shell and their partners Statoil and Marathon had hoped to have the facility in operation by 2003, but massive local resistance has meant that four years on, the development is still in its infancy.
Resistance was stepped up following the jailing of three local fishermen accused of assaulting Gardai (Police) during a Shell to Sea picket last year. On Wednesday 11th July, two years on from the jailing of the Rossport 5, these men became County Mayo’s latest political prisoners. The judge’s verdict was met with disbelief by all involved in the campaign and has resulted in an upsurge of community resistance.
Related links : campaign website | recent update | eviction threat | more...
Activists Blockade Shell Petrol Station in Birmingham
27-11-2006 17:05
On 20 November, 2006, some 20 environmental and human rights activists risked arrest by blockading a Shell petrol station in central Birmingham for over 3 hours during the morning rush hour. The direct action was taken in solidarity with the community of County Mayo, Ireland, who are resisting the construction by Shell of a dangerous and experimental gas pipeline and refinery in a beautiful and remote part of Ireland [background]. The project is yet another example of how governments (in this case, the Irish state) are putting the interests of large corporations before those of local people and the environment.
See: report | pictures | video
Links: Shell to Sea Campaign | Rossport Solidarity Camp | Indymedia Mayo | Rossport Solidarity action page on Indymedia UK
Protester hospitalised in successful Shell blockade
11-11-2006 00:48
There was a large turn out for the blockade of a Shell petrol station in Nottingham, in solidarity with people opressed by Shell everywhere. The blockade was successful in terms of shutting down the petrol station, unfortunatly one of the protestors was ran over by a 4x4 driver and had been taken to hospital. Later we learned that his leg, while badly grazed and bruised, is not broken.
Plenty of leaflets were given out to motorists and passers by and plenty of honks of support were heard. The boys in yellow turned up eventually, not that they were interested in the running down of a protestor, they just wanted people to stop blocking the entrance, and in fact ignored another car which tried to force its way through.
Links: Emergency Call Out Nottingham Shell action | Photos from Nottingham Shell Action | UK Indymedia Rossport Solidarity page | A Rossport solidarity video
Community under siege in Mayo
14-10-2006 17:13
Since late 2000 there has been an on-going attempt by multinationals and the Irish state to devastate a remote coastal area of county Mayo with a toxic refinery and a high pressure production gas pipeline. Since the summer of 2005 mass pickets shut down the refinery construction site after five residents were imprisoned for refusing to allow Shell’s sub-contractors access to their and their neighbours' small farms which the pipeline is to go through.
In August Shell announced that they intended to re-take the site in September, however during that month over a hundred people would gather at the gates when ever there was indications that such an attempt was to be made. Shell failed in September, but on the third of October a massive two hundred strong police unit forced a path for Shell. This week there have been sporadic sit down blockades of construction traffic and solidarity protests have taken place in locations across Britain and Ireland.
New: Rossport Solidarity action page
Reports from Mayo: Interview with Rossport Solidarity Camper | Rossport - Shell to Sea Video Report | S2S Oct 12 - 3 arrested in Mayo, Dempsey cornered in Galway | Bellanaboy, Community Under Siege - Day 11
Reports solidarity actions: Bradford | Leeds | Brighton | Dublin/Cork | Belfast | Donnybrook | Galway | Manchester | Tyneside
Background links: Shell in Mayo | Rossport Solidarity Camp | Shell to Sea | Indymedia Ireland | Indymedia Mayo | Shellspeak: Media Mechanics and Financial Dynamics
International protests against Shell
19-02-2006 16:09
Stop the Shell Pipeline! Protests have taken place in Ireland, England, Scotland and Sweden to publicise the campaign ahead of the re-opening of Rossport Solidarity Camp, a protest camp supporting a community based struggle against Shell in the West of Ireland. On Friday 17th there was a Rossport Solidarity Demo in Liverpool, a critical mass style bike ride and occupation of Shell garages happened on Saturday in Nottingham [picture reports 1 | 2] and in north London London Rising Tide organised a blockade of a Shell garage which was closed for four hours [reports 1, 2] [ Video]. Listen to an audio report recorded at the Rising Tide Solidarity action 1]. All this coincided with a Rossport Solidarity Camp speaking tour of Scotland and England. Meanwhile in Ireland, the doors to Shell's main offices in Dublin were D locked shut, there was also a blockade of a Statoil garage in Cork and two solidarity meetings.
In Rossport Irish residents & supporters continue to obstruct the building of a dangerous gas pipeline. Last year five men from Rossport were jailed for contempt of court for refusing to obey the High Court order not to interfere with the construction of the Corrib gas pipeline. They were expected to be back at the High Court also on Friday 17th, potentially facing more time in jail. In November '05 the Rossport Five were released after 94 days in jail.
Click the 'Full Article' link for moreNotts in action against Shell activities in Ireland
18-02-2006 23:41
The oil giant shell continues to ride rough shod over local communities from Nigeria to Co Mayo in Ireland. It sponsors human rights abuses, funds testing on animals at research labs' like HLS and destroys the environment. Soon work on the pipeline being built in Co Mayo Ireland will start again. It will poison the local area, endanger residents and further add to climate chaos. In solidarity with the struggles against Shell around the world, a critical mass of over 30 bikes and a mobile sound system rode through Nottingham today, highlighting the evils of Shell to motorists and passers by.Hundreds of leaflets were handed out outside of the Shell petrol station forecourt on Woodsde road and the A52. The entrances and exits were blocked for over an hour.
Links: Feature article on UK Indymedia | Previous article 'Rossport meets Nottingham' | Notts sends Shell to hell | Stop Shell Hell
Hangings Outside the Shell Centre for Ogoni Day
11-11-2005 21:51
In November 1995, nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 of his colleagues, were executed by Nigeria's military regime for campaigning against the devastation of the Niger delta by oil multi-national Shell. Yesterday, activists from London Rising Tide and supporters dropped nine nooses infront of the Shell UK headquarters on London's South Bank to highlight the anniversary of Saro-Wiva's murder. The demonstrators also highlighted the current struggle on the north west of Ireland, where Shell is set to transform a remote conservation area in County Mayo into an environmental disaster zone which carries serious public health and safety implications.
See Reports and Photos: 1 | 2. Videos: 1 | 2
In Aberdeen, Scotland, there was also a solidarity action with the Ogoni people, and in remembreance of Ken Saro-Wiwa. See Report and Photos.
Rossport meets Nottingham
07-11-2005 20:24
Two participants in Rossport Solidarity Camp will be on a speaking tour of Britain in November and will speak in Nottingham at the International Community Centre, 61b Mansfield Road on the 10th November. The talk starts at 7pm and is free.
Links: Justice for the Rossport 5 | Shell to Sea network | Indymedia Ireland | personal report with pictures from the Rossport Camp, by Dean | Rossport Solidarity Camp speaking tour dates
