Shell to Sea Solidarity Action in Scotland

international | anti-capitalism | news report

Friday February 16, 2007 19:28

by Edinburgh Resident

Eight Shell Petrol Stations shut down this morning

Activists in Edinburgh shut down eight shell petrol stations around the city centre as a soldarity action for the Shell to Sea campaign in Rossport.

Between 7am and 8am this morning (16th February 2007) while the city was still in darkness, a number of activists shut down eight different Shell petrol stations in and surrounding the city centre of Edinburgh. This action was a solidarity action for the Shell to Sea campaign in Rossport, County Mayo and also to target Shell for being a major contributor to global warming and climate change. The action was purposely planned to coincide with the action taking place at the Ballinaboy refinery site on the same morning.

The activists turned the emergency shut down levers so the pumps stopped working and the station was unable to sell anymore fuel. They left a shell shaped skull and a note at each station (stuck on with Shell to Sea stickers) stating;

“Shell has been shut down today in Solidarity with the innocent people around the world that have been subject to their bullying and use of violence.

Shell is a massive contributor to Global Warming and Climate Change – the greatest threats to life on earth

The community of Rossport, on the West Mayo coast in Ireland, are under siege due to Shell’s desire to get their hands on the gas reserve. Shell is building an extremely dangerous onshore gas pipeline through Rossport and a massive refinery destroying this beautiful coast and endangering hundreds of lives.

This has to stop now. The innocent people of the area are fighting for survival against an evil multinational corporation. They fear for their lives, their children and their community.

Join us in the fight against Shell – Boycott Shell and make them withdraw this disasterous pipeline sheme from County Mayo, Ireland”.

There were no police involved and therefore no arrests were made. Some stations remained shut down for a number of hours, and unfortunately some were started up again quite quickly.

The fact that one or maybe more of the emergency shut down levers were faulty and did not stop the pumps immediately adds to Shell’s track record of being a dangerous company with no regard for health and safety. These levers are meant to be used in an event of fire or emergency (or solidarity actions!) and the fact that they are faulty and difficult to access means that in an emergency the station would not shut down and the pumps would continue to dispense fuel.

Later that afternoon, all of the targeted stations were up and running again. But the message was clearly left and the stations were shut down and had empty forecourts during the morning rush hour.

There are no photographs available yet.

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Comments (6 of 6)

Excellent work.

by J.Carax

Fri Feb 16, 2007 20:03

Congratulations.

What a brilliant action.

Wow!

by Niall

Fri Feb 16, 2007 23:39

Again, many thanks to our friends and supporters in Britain. We love your surprise solidarity actions and they encourage us. Today was a very healthy day. Shell to Hell.

levers

by shell out

Sat Feb 17, 2007 20:31

stupid question probably but where do you find the emergency shut-down lever? thanx. And well done, great job!

lever info

Sat Feb 17, 2007 21:42

The levers are usually located next to the 24 hour hatch or the cash machine. They are above the rack of fire extinguishers. There is a sign saying "to shut down fuel dispensers in case of emergency" or something like that underneath. There are usually quite high off the ground (which is ridiculous because they should be wheel chair and shorter people accessible). They are red in colour and consist of a lever which is next to the word 'on' and in order to be turned off needs to be pushed vertically upwards until it clicks and stays in place next to the word 'off'.

Thanks

by Maura Harrington - S2S; Davitt League

Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:38

Thanks a million to all involved in Edinburgh Solidarity NVDA on Friday a.m. It's the unexpectedness of the solidarity actions in different places that delight and hearten the local people here - and the other upside is that it must be making S/hell fairly twitchy!
Again, thanks a million; we'll keep it going here for as long as it takes, supporters all over the place do their thing and, together, we'll get rid of the b*******.

Superb Work

by Starstruck - Dublin Shell to Sea

Mon Feb 19, 2007 15:46

Nicely done-get em where it hurts--
More great activity from the Edinburgh heads-fair play!
I just hope the local community are made aware of all these actions and the great personal risks people are taking in acts of solidarity with the people of Rossport..
Shell to Sea!

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Shell to Sea Solidarity Action in Scotland

Comments (6 of 6)