15th September 2008
Protest at the Shell’s Dublin HQ
Activists from different backgrounds came along to a 1PM protest in support of the actions taken in the last week against Shell and the Irish government.
Hundreds of leaflets were distributed and many passing motorists beeped their horns in support.
As always a large contingent of gardaí were on hand to protect the Shell employees and the company’s property from the entirely peaceful and dignified protest outside.
Around 20 people took park in a solidarity vigil at 6pm at Shell HQ in support of shell to sea hunger striker Maura Harrington.
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Today Maura Harrington marked her birthday with a seventh day on hunger strike, while supporters from the UK & Ireland demonstrated across London to bring attention to her protest. Maura, a teacher in NW Mayo, is part of the Shell To Sea Campaign which has been actively opposing Shell’s latest attempts to lay an 80 km sea based stretch of gas pipeline.
Maura’s hunger strike began on Tuesday in protest at the arrival of the Solitaire ship which was to lay the pipeline for Shell. Maura ‘s has declared that her protest will continue until the Solitaire agrees to leave Ireland without laying the pipeline.
Two Irish neighbours of Maura picketed the Shell HQ from midnight Sunday until 9am with a candle lit vigil for their friend. At 7am this morning Shell workers were greeted with leaflets & informed of Maura’s plight.
Next was AllSeas UK Ltd who own the Solitaire pipe-laying ship. 30 people banged pans, blew whistles & handed out leaflets outside the registered office of AllSeas. A blank sticker had been placed over their company label & someone from inside the building claimed that no-one was home. Eventually a security guard took a letter from the protesters, addressed to the Chief Executive, demanding that the Solitaire is removed from Irish waters immediately.
After an hour at AllSeas the crowd processed to the Irish embassy shouting ”Irish woman on hunger strike. No new Shell pipeline”. The Irish embassy refused to take a letter from an elderly Mayo woman. The protesters were asking that the Irish embassy protect its citizens such as Maura who are attempting to protect their community from the health and safety and environmental nightmare that the pipeline poses, instead of supporting the Garda intimidation and brutality.
The Norwegian embassy was the last to be visited. Norway is profiteering from the oppression of people in Ireland. It’s state oil company, Statoil is working in partnership with Shell. Here a member of staff did come out to meet us and accepted a burning candle as a symbol of our solidarity with Maura and the request of the campaign that the Norwegian Government send the Solitaire home.
As Maura’s condition deteriorates, the Solitaire is yet to respond and leave Ireland. Daily protests continue with a international day of solidarity action planned for this coming Saturday.
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Shell Demos from Thur 11th Sept
There were two demonstrations held in Dublin on Thursday in solidarity with the struggle in Rossport against Shell’s activities.
One demo was held outside Shell’s headquarters earlier in the evening and later there was a demo outside the GPO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m84LRWsLUr4
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September 14th 2008
Shell’s pipe-laying ship pretends not to listen: meanwhile 500+ cars join protest rally in Erris
Hunger striker Maura Harrington’s daughter Astrid and son Iollan travelled to Killybegs Co. Donegal, today to make a personal plea to the Shell pipe-laying ship the Solitaire and its captain Mr. Simon van der Plicht to leave Irish waters immediately, and allow Maura to end her strike. Meanwhile, over 500 cars (with their drivers and passengers) drove around Erris this afternoon in a massive show of support for Ms. Harrington, who has now entered the sixth day of her hunger strike.
A deputation from Shell to Sea travelled to Killybegs, Co. Donegal today to attempt communications with Shell’s pipe-laying ship the Solitaire and with its captain, Mr. Simon van der Plicht. the deputation included two of hunger striker Maura Harrington’s children – her daughter Astrid, and her only son Iollan, who was brutally arrested by Shell’s Gardaí during yesterday’s beach reclamation action in Glengad, Co. Mayo.
At about lunchtime, soon after the Shell to Sea deputation arrived in Killybegs, radio contact was established with the Solitaire, which replied to initial VHF radio contact. Once the deputation announced their identity and their purpose over the radio, all radio contact with the Solitaire ceased, and all communications on VHF radio channels were met with silence. Disappointed with the ship’s attitude but undaunted, the deputation kept communicating their message to the Solitaire over the radio, with Astrid and Iollan eloquently explaining the current situation in Mayo and why their mother has chosen to go on hunger strike, and they made dignified requests for the Solitaire to leave Irish waters, so that their mother can end her strike. The other ships that were involved in Shell’s abortive pipe-laying operation in Mayo were similarly addressed; these communications were also met with silence. A further attempt at communication with Shell’s ships some two hours later was met with silence again. The Shell to Sea delegation kept trying to establish communication for about a half an hour, but were ultimately fruitless.
Between the communication attempts, Astrid boarded the Irish Naval Service ship the LÉ Eithne, which was moored in Killybegs harbour. She managed to encounter its captain, and she began explaining to him calmly the situation in her home place in NW Co. Mayo and her disgust at the Irish Navy’s role in Shell’s attempt to begin pipe-laying in Broadhaven Bay, but he walked away from her without commenting. She was then escorted off the ship.
Meanwhile back in Co. Mayo a motor car rally of over 500 cars made its way around Erris this afternoon – a sign of the massive support Shell to Sea’s and Maura Harrington’s stand command in the locality. The rally started at Barnatra at 3:30pm and is continuing at the time of posting.
Maura Harrington entered the sixth day of her hunger strike this lunchtime. Her health and spirits remain strong, as she stays in her car parked before the Shell Glengad compound gates. The gates area is kept constantly lit by Shell an an attempt to disrupt her sleeping pattern, and the numerous Gardaí stationed there continue to behave in a aggressive abusive manner. A vigil of supporters keeps watch on Maura 24 hours a day, and help combat the various Garda verbal and physical nastinesses. Her hunger strike will continue until she receives solid assurances from either the Solitaire or its owners Allseas Group SA that the ship will not be pipe-laying in Broadhaven Bay this year and will be leaving Irish territorial waters without delay.
Come to Mayo and see for yourself what Shell and the state have done to a resisting unconsenting community!