Six Arrested As Shell To Sea Activists Disrupt Bellenaboy Site
Six members of Shell to Sea were arrested yesterday after breaching security and disrupting work at Shell’s terminal in Bellenaboy Co. Mayo. The six were part of a group of approximately 40 Shell to Sea activists, including half a dozen members of Éirígí, who had travelled from Dublin to protest at the terminal. They entered the site at 11am this morning as part of a ‘people's site inspection’. A five hour game of ‘cat and mouse’ ensued as Gardaí and Shell’s private security personnel attempted to remove the protesters from the site. The six arrested were taken to Belmullet Garda station before being released. The activists stayed overnight with the Rossport solidarity camp, which was established over 18 months ago to lend support to the local communities struggle against the proposed gas pipeline.
Today’s site incursion was the latest in a series of similar actions and follows closely on yesterday’s site incursion by a group of women activists from both the local area and Cork Shell to Sea. Those involved in today’s action were from both the local area and the Dublin Shell to Sea group.
Shell’s site has become the scene of regular protest and garda heavy handed tactics since Autumn of last year when Shell recommenced work on site. The recent upsurge in protests has coincided with the start of ‘peat haulage’ from the site by Shell. This process, which involves the removal of more than 350,000 cubic metres of peat from the bog where Shell intend to build the refinery, is expected to take more than five months.
Speaking from Ballinaboy this afternoon Dublin Shell to Sea spokesperson Caoimhe Kerins said ‘Today’s action is part of a broader campaign to highlight both the criminal giveaway of Ireland’s gas reserves and the bully boy tactics being used by Shell and the state to impose this unwanted pipeline and refinery on the community of Rossport and the surrounding area. The issues involved are of National importance and impact on every person in Ireland. That is why we are here today. Hopefully this marks the start of a long, hot summer for Shell. The next major protest will be outside of Shell Headquarters in Dublin on Friday April 27th. I’d encourage everyone to come along and join in the campaign to protect our natural resources and send Shell to Sea’.