More photos from Shell Occupation in Islington

Any hassle?

Not an illegal gathering of terrorists?

What did the general public think....... before the police stopped them passing?

Cheers, nice action!

How is the Video coming on?

Will it be put up soon?

Good weather, good company and a street party atmosphere, a Samba band and an environmentally just cause that no ‘concerned’ member of the planet can ignore (the Oil Industries criminal contribution to the escalating climate changes of our planet) all the ingredients for a successful, peaceful protest.

Or so you would think!

For a few hours activists protested peacefully, blockading a 'Shell' garage forecourt, dropping a banner from the garage forecourt roof and handed out leaflets to interested members of the planet, in Upper Street, N.London. At first it appeared that the cops were happy for the protest to continue, as no one asked the protesters to leave and it was obvious that no one wanted to harass the garage workers or cause any permanent damage to property. In fact there were even activists picking up the leaflets and litter, discarded by some of the less interested members of the planet and placing it in rubbish bins (hardly disorderly behaviour)!

During the afternoon the protest had been policed by 10-15 cops in yellow jackets, as darkness fell and activists started to pack up and leave, the mood of the cops changed; all of a sudden the protectors and the Samba band were surrounded by riot cops. Activists were then told that everyone was going to have their photo taken and would be required to give their address and date of birth or be arrested, although the cops were unable to explain exactly how the protesters actions related to the relevant acts and sections they were quoting / implementing. During this ‘stand off’ three people were arrested, including the two people who had been on the roof of the forecourt garage.

First off this seems like an unreasonable behaviour and over reaction to what had been a ‘fluffy’ protest by activists, trying to highlight a serious problem (climate change).
One of the riot cops, who apparently came from County Mayo, tried desperately to argue the point that the activists had no right to protest over a campaign in Ireland unless they (the Activists) had actually been there! The cop couldn’t even understand the concept of ‘solidarity’ with the Mayo protest and the fact that if people aren’t allowed to demonstrate freely about serious concerns affecting everyone, the 'State' will remain in complete denial, as it has in the past. It was also pointed out that a majority of the natural and man made catastrophes, wars and atrocities in the world today (and the past) could have been prevented if 'Goverments' and and the people had not been in denial and listened to those with a moral conscience. Our arguments were met with the usual “I'm only doing my job” (denial or what)!

The cops obviously have the same ability to reason as they do to interpret the laws of what is rapidly becoming a repressive Police State.

'Newbie'