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site occupation at Bellanaboy mayo |
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news report
 Monday August 27, 2007 22:11 by jo
 description of the days events at bellanaboy After several weeks of holiday, work has recommenced at the proposed refinery site at Bellanaboy. Maintaining the increased pressure that had been applied to Shell in the weeks before the holiday period, at around 8.30am this morning around 20 people occupied the site. The protestors bypassed security and walked in through the main gate onto the site beside a lorry that was entering. The group made their way to the main area where work was taking place. Shortly after their arrival all work on the site stopped. The protestors took the site occupation as an opportunity to investigate claims that concrete and steel that had been used in the early stages of construction was substandard. Upon questioning (on camera) a senior worker admitted that there were problems with the quality of materials used in the foundations. Aside from problems with a few over officious security and more senior workers, interaction with people working on site was amiable and provided an opportunity for information sharing. After about half an hour three Gardai arrived. Their presence was of little consequence until work on site recommenced at around 11.30. At this point, when some people attempted to block trucks from moving, the Gardai assaulted a female protestor, resulting in cuts on her hands. They also attempted to bundle another protestor into a Garda car even though he had not been arrested. At around 11.45 the protestors made a tactical decision to leave the site en masse. They joined 20 others who were waiting outside. A short while later, when a new truck attempted to enter site, the protestors stopped its entry. The site was blockaded until the Gardaí returned half an hour later. The day was widely viewed as a success. |
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Comments (17 of 17)
Jump To Comment: 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Here's are a few photos from Thursday.
It should also be noted that the insurance for 3 of trucks that were stopped on Thursday were out of date. This follows on from a truck stopped on Monday whose tax was out.
Some of the photos above show that gate 2 is being used by trucks entering and leaving the refinery even though only gate 1 should be used for materials.
Truck attempting to enter gate 2 (was turned away because of camera)
Concrete truck having just left via gate 2
Gate 2 sign post
Garda Backup
Just to make people aware that towards the end of last week there have been several lengthy delays to lorries entering the site.
On Wednesday trucks entering the site were blocked for about 1 hour from around 8am.
On Thursday trucks were stopped entering the site for around 2 and half hours from around 11am. An initial attempt by about 8 gardai to forcibly remove the peaceful protestors failed and the protestors left a hour later just as garda backup was arriving. The garda attempts to remove the protestors including dragging one woman by her hair and also dragging numerous people involved in the sitdown protest over concrete.
On Friday morning trucks were stopped for about 1 hour.
I to asked last Thurs about proof on the below standard materials being used on the construction site but to date I haven't heard from anyone about this? Is there any proof other than an 'interview' with someone on site? I'm starting to believe there isn't any.
But one comment I do like so far is that the Gulf of Mexico is a tougher/ rougher environment than the Atlantic seaboard. I think there may be a few fishermen from Donegal to Cork and RNLI crews who would beg to differ with ya on that point - fair enough the Gulf gets some hurricanes each year but to have the atlantic winds beat your doorstep constantly with huge waves and swells for well over 250 days in the year really says something about where we live. I know for a fact I wouldn't want any of our brave lads having to go out there to try and rescue someone if there was an incident. Would you want to pilot a boat or a chopper in those kind of condition - I wouldn't and I take my hat off to the lads of the RNLI and the Coastguard who do.
Just Interested.
Suggest 'sickened taxpayer' turns his attention to the truly sickening aspects of this situation - the railroading of an unsafe facility through a community that does not want it for legitimate reasons and for which there is a perfectly viable and highly profitable alternative. If you care so much about the loss of taxpayers money, where is your anger about the give-away of Irish fuel resources or the scandalous level of subsidy that these disgustingly wealthy companies are being given on top? Where is your outrage at the inevitable ruin of huge swathes of the West of Ireland (Mayo is only the tip of the iceberg - a precdent for all that is planned in other places when extraction begins in other fields). Go to the Gulf of Mexico and see how extraction is done there - out at sea in far more volatile conditions. Find out about how the same companies would be told to get lost if they attempted this environmental and social butchery in California. Here in Ireland we can pride ourselves in having a government nasty and stupid enough to encourage all of this and then try to pretend that is in our interests. ( And of course we also have enough voters nasty and stupid enough to keep these chancers in power. But I digress.)
Along with many other environmental campaigns S2S are not just fighting for their community, they are fighting for democracy, due process and to uphold integrity and accountability in public administration and planning.
"They're gathering again, thanks to a few actions at the site over the last few days"
"A large influx of guards will be even less welcome this time."
Do you think the people of this country are stupid?
the reason for the Gardai returning is the fact that the protestors have broken into the site again.
it is a bit rich for S2S to complain about the cost of the grade presence, and then when the Gardai numbers are lowered, S2S deliberately break the law again, and the number (and cost) of Gardai has to be increased again.
so brag all you want but you are fooling very few.
Thanks Jock.
They're gathering again, thanks to a few actions at the site over the last few days. They've been badly caught out a couple of times and
when they've eventually got a few men in place they've been as thick as asses, knocking people about, etc. We expect to see a lot of
them showing up in the next ten days or so in the build-up to sep.14. Every time they turn up in big numbers they are less popular than
the previous time. Many people in Erris who don't have a strong position on the gas issue are very angry at the events of June 11. Paddy
McGrath, the landowner on whose land people were attacked, is still in hospital, and still far from recovery. A large influx of guards will
be even less welcome this time.
Where have all the bully cops gone ? I saw an old friend down in Cork last week. Mr. DA 51. Protestors will remember this brute from earlier in the year.Also heard reports of Sgt. Chisholm touring the country in a camper van . Keep up the fight for freedom. We will win.
Stay safe all.
If the group who made it onto the site were doing it cos the heard about inferior materials being used in the foundation works why didn't they video and publish the interviews with the people on site who said there were problems? Everything else seems to be filmed. Also did the group find any evidence of inferior material, if so, what?
Just Interested.
short vidoe of getting onsite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMC3CpYAOcE&sdig=1
These people are struggling to keep their homeland clean & are a grand inspiration to other people fighting for justice - fair play to all of em! Come to Bellanaboy on the 14th!
so so delighted to hear you brave souls are still at it. keep up the fight! you are an inspiration xx
Well done to all up in Mayo, couldn't make it up myself , tho I was there in spirit! Great to catch them off guard on their first day back. Hope no one got hurt. See ye on the 14th!
photos from site occupation
Inside the refinery
Stopping Entry
I'm also opposed to Shell's occupation of Bellanaboy, and the Coillte forestland, and their attempts to trespass on the lands of local landowners and force the high pressure pipe upon them.
Shellchunsaile Abu.
I do not support the occupation of Iraq, the occupation of Palestine or the occupation of the six counties.
I therefore would be a hypocrite if I supported any other occupation.
Well done to all involved!