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Shell petrol pumps shut down in Leeds in solidarity with County Mayo, Ireland

Leeds IMC | 11.10.2006 11:19 | Rossport Solidarity | Ecology | Repression | Social Struggles

A Shell petrol station on Kirkstall Rd in Leeds was shut down this morning between 8am and 10am by local people in solidarity with people in in County Mayo, Ireland, who are currently fighting to stop Shell's disastrous and potentially deadly gas pipeline being built through the beautiful coastal village of Rossport.

Protesters shut down Shell
Protesters shut down Shell

Fiddling on the roof
Fiddling on the roof

Crime scene - corporate killers
Crime scene - corporate killers

Go to Hell
Go to Hell


The protest comes in direct response to events last week (3/4 October) when Shell and at least east 200 Irish police forcibly removed local people to allow Shell workers back in to start work again on the gas pipeline and nearby refinery. A successful community blockade has stopped Shell working at the gas refinery site at Ballinaboy for the past 18 months. The campaign group in Rossport
‘Shell to Sea’ have called for groups across the UK to take action and raise awareness about what Shell are doing in their community.

In the words of one member of the campaign:

'After being stopped from recommencing work for a year and a half by a community picket, last Tuesday Shell, supported by large numbers of police, have managed to force their way back onto site. The area has effectively been occupied by police for the last three days. The Irish police have in effect become Shell's own private army of mercenaries. We are as determined as ever to stop this discredited project. This is a fight for survival.'

Campaigners in Leeds took up the call for international solidarity this morning. At 8am, they descended on an outlet of the unsuspecting climate killers, unfurling a green banner 'Shell out of County Mayo' from the roof of the store, before blocking off the main entrance with another giant banner 'Solidarity with Rossport: Irish Resources for Irish People'. All the petrol pumps were then put out of order with 'police crime scene' tape. Moments later, the station manager shut the shop and Shell was put out of business for a few hours. Campaigners leafleted passers by and motorists, got lots of supportive 'beeps' and were only abused with the classic 'get a job' 4 times.

The community in County Mayo is vehemently opposed to the pipeline as it pumps raw, high pressure gas within 10 metres of their houses. This is the first time a pipeline has been built with such high pressures and therefore Shell cannot guarantee the safety of the community. 5 local people have already spent 3 months in prison last year when they refused Shell access to their lands to build the pipeline.

In Leeds, people will be raising these important issues with the public at Shell's garages.

One member of Leeds Rossport Solidarity Group said:

'This is the least we can do to show our solidarity with the people of Rossport. They are taking on one of the biggest multinationals in the world who is set on bullying them and using the police to intimidate them so they can get the hands on over £30 million of gas and oil reserves. This pipeline will destroy this pristine and beautiful coastal environment, and if built any accident would wipe out the whole village. We have to show Shell that they cannot do whatever they want - and that at some point our lives come before their hunger for profit.'

Info

1. In Ireland, Shell is part of an oil consortium who owns the large Corrib field off the west coast – it has rights to all the profits from this area.
2. Shell are currently building an onshore gas pipeline from this sea gas field. The route of the pipeline goes through the coastal village of Rossport and then to the site of a proposed huge million hectare refinery nearby at Ballinaboy. From there it will link up with the European energy network and be pumped all over Europe.
3. This pipeline, known as an upstream pipeline, has no precedent anywhere in Europe. It’s an experiment imposed on the people of Rossport. Its operating pressure will be up to 345 bars – that’s four times higher than normal recommended.
4. There will also be electric cables in the same trench as well as chemicals like
methanol – this potentially deadly pipeline passes within 10 metres of the nearest house. Shell won’t refine the gas at sea as they say it’s too costly.
5. The whole thing is also build on peat, and there is already evidence of sinking.
6. Shell obtained a compulsory acquisition order which permits them to acquire land to build the pipeline without permission of the owners.
7. When five local men refused Shell access to their lands in Jan 2005, Shell obtained a High Court injunction against them. When they broke this injunction to stop Shell’s work, the five were imprisoned for more than 3 months.
8. The community has mounted a strong campaign against Shell. A picket of local people has stopped Shell entering the refinery site to restart work for 18 months. But last week, Shell re-entered the site using extreme force backed up by 200 police.
9. It is clear why Shell are so committed to building this pipeline – there is an
estimated £30 billion of oil and gas in the Corrib field. The people of the area are fighting for survival against a multinational who will stop at nothing to build this pipeline.
10. for more information see:

www.corribsos.com
www.indymedia.ie
www.struggle.ws/rsc

Leeds IMC

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

Corrib Mis-Information

12.10.2006 16:22

I'm all on for people expressing their views (whether I agree with them or not) but one thing I cannot stand about your coverage etc is the blatant mis-information you constantly put on your websites. You failed on a number of points in your 'information package', these being:

1. The site is 165 hectares (about 400 acres) with the terminal taking up approx 35 hectares of that - it will not take up a million hectares (which is appro 2.5million acres - 1 tenth of Ireland total acreage?!?!? Yeah right.)
2. The closest the pipeline passes to the nearest residence is 75m - not 10m.
3.The operational pressure of the pipeline is 150bar (the terminal's emergency shutdown valves kick into operation at any pressures greater than that) - the design of the pipeline (for safety reasons and piece of mind which the people of Rossport seem to lack!!) is 345bar.
4. The terminal is not being built on peat. All the peat (circa 450,000m3) is being removed to a cut away bog some 11km away as part of a rehabilitation plan for Bord Na Mona (The Irish Turf Board).

By all means continue your 'campaign' for what it is going to achieve, but at least inform your readin public of the correct facts. I know this site - I know this job - you obviously don't.

Erris Exile


Democracy, acocuntability

13.10.2006 10:34

the main issue is that the local people don't want the pipeline and Shell is using its corporate muscle, in coalition with an elite minority, to force it through.

and in any case, i doubt "relocating" 450,000m3 of peat 11km is an evironmentally friendly solution... compared to not having a pipeline at all and instead encouraging people to use less electricity...

Zhou Jin


Disappointment with Indymedia

13.10.2006 10:35

Indymedia has a fanstastic history of uncovering the truth and improving the value of democracy across the globe. However, this article is totally incorrect, the campaign is being run by narrow-minded NIMBYs contrary to the clear wishes of the majority in the country, contrary to the best scientific advice available and, in a display of breathtaking cynicism, uses violence and threats of violence - *while reciting the rosary* - to get what they want.

Your article is so disappointing because it undermines the credibility of the other good work that Indymedia does. Please take care with this issue.

Joe


Will 'you' please take care

14.10.2006 17:28

It is great that people like Joe think that this website has "credibility" not so great to appear to be reading it for some time and still not get it: it is 'you' who needs to take care with whatever issue you have with indymedia.

If an article is dissapointing or incorrect, think what you can do to 'take care' of the situation. That is what the comment option is for, to respond with what you think is the correct information, with your own research.

So please stop asking whoever you think you are asking, to take care of your issues. Use the site as it is supposed to be used, we don't need to be told to 'take care' of 'your' issues. And we don't need this moaning. Take matters on your own hands, do your research and publish.

And all users will thank you for it.

one of imc


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