Two men fighting for their rights against Shell and the Irish Government arrested in Glengad

John Monaghan & Naoise O'Mongain have been arrested because they attempted to prevent Shell from working in the area that allegedly will be the landfall area where the pipe comes to shore.

Shell were attempting to work in the area, eventhough they have yet to receive planning permission.

More locals who are currently being threatened with arrest, are standing their ground at the cliff face. Things are getting tense. Anyone who wishes to ring Belmullet garda station to enquire about the prisoners can do so at 097 81038 or 097 81206.

I'll post more on this exclusive for MN as it happens. S2S are expected to post a more informative article on Indymedia shortly. Will update with a link to that too.

Thanks for the news Hermes. Is this the beach on which Shell has installed cameras?

The sooner we can move over to non-carbon fuels the better.

Hi CF.

Broadhaven Bay contains the beach where Shell has authorised 'security' to film folks with their children bathing. It's part of Glengad.

Aren't Shell breaking some law by working there then?

One would think so Audi. But that's never stopped them before, neither has it stopped the Gardaí from acting as accomplices.

More have been arrested. This story is about to become very big news methinks: Link.

Another link to this developing story here: link.

Indymedia is saying 10-12 people arrested including Willie Corduff, one of the Rossport 5.

Are you around there, Hermes?

Auditor #9 wrote:

Indymedia is saying 10-12 people arrested including Willie Corduff, one of the Rossport 5.

Are you around there, Hermes?

Fraid I'm not there currently Audi. I'm getting texts and emails to keep me updated.

The latest figure is that 14 arrests have been made. It'll take a while to verify this, but lots of folks have been arrested. I'll keep ye updated as news comes in.

Great stuff Hermes as usual

I note that BP appear to have been run out of the Russian joint venture...

Thanks Youngdan.

Correct CF, our eastern neighbours realised that it is both immoral and unlawful to give away natural resources and fixed the problem having recognised their sovereign right to do so. If only our own government would realise that they were not the owners of the resources they gave away; they were but the stewards.

Great article up on Indymedia by Rudiger (who has also written many excellent and detail filled court reports too). LINK

It turns out that there were 13 people arrested. One of them needed to be taken to hospital from Belmullet Garda station.

Good detail in that article about the planning permission. The people of the area know educated themselves quite a bit on that sort of thing the last time, I believe. It's only a rubber stamp that's needed the article says, but that's not the point is it?

What will happen tomorrow? Are we going to see a lot more protests?

Auditor #9 wrote:

Good detail in that article about the planning permission. The people of the area know educated themselves quite a bit on that sort of thing the last time, I believe. It's only a rubber stamp that's needed the article says, but that's not the point is it?

What will happen tomorrow? Are we going to see a lot more protests?

They got educated the hard way. A few hundred yards from where today's fiasco took place is where the S2S campsite was situated. The County Council had them removed after alleging damage to the SAC (special area of conservation) had taken place. Of course the powers that be really didn't care about the SAC at all, it's slap bang in the middle of the proposed pipeline route.

The coming year is going to be decisive. The upcoming battle will be fought on both land and sea. Shell are currently trying to dig in. The folks in Rossport must prevent that from happening, or else it'll be close to impossible to dislodge them. The good people of Rossport, surrounding areas and the 'outsiders,' have their work cut out for them. Shell's record, our sycophantic and grovelling government make for a really tough fight ahead. Still, they're very tough people and they're not giving up, not by a long shot. My bet's on the little guys on this one.

There is something that bothers me about the treatment of protestors by gardaí.
Does anyone know what oath a garda swears on becoming a garda?
Do they swear to follow orders or do they swear to uphold the law and defend the constitution?
Something tells me that beating people across the legs with battons is just following orders and has nothing to do with upholding the law or defending the constitution.

Hermes wrote:

Shell's record, our sycophantic and grovelling government make for a really tough fight ahead. Still, they're very tough people and they're not giving up, not by a long shot. My bet's on the little guys on this one.

It's going to be a serious battle ahead if the locals persist. Isn't there a problem with a freshwater lake nearby - Carrowmore? Weren't the EU people processing a possible directive infringement for the lake which is on the route of the pipeline - or was that route changed or do you know the result of that EU issue?

Hermes wrote:

Shell's record, our sycophantic and grovelling government make for a really tough fight ahead. Still, they're very tough people and they're not giving up, not by a long shot. My bet's on the little guys on this one.

It's going to be a serious battle ahead if the locals persist. Isn't there a problem with a freshwater lake nearby - Carrowmore? Weren't the EU people processing a possible directive infringement for the lake which is on the route of the pipeline - or was that route changed or do you know the result of that EU issue?

AfricanDave wrote:

There is something that bothers me about the treatment of protestors by gardaí.
Does anyone know what oath a garda swears on becoming a garda?
Do they swear to follow orders or do they swear to uphold the law and defend the constitution?
Something tells me that beating people across the legs with battons is just following orders and has nothing to do with upholding the law or defending the constitution.

It is disturbing to see riot style police, especially your own people against your own people, and hardly for a worthy cause.

If you are shocked by the sight of police in riot gear beating arms and legs then it is just as well you were not at the riot in 1981. Needless to say I was there but rather than pretend that I started it I must admit that I stayed in Dublin Center out of laziness. But just looking at the glares of the cops was enough to understand that trouble was emminent.
It is a fact that some people go through their entire lives never knowing what a cops job is. They think it is to fight crime which is always good for more funds. God forbid that crime should fall and some nasty scoundral suggest that we need less cops. Thats why there is always some fool argueing against drug legalisation. In 500 years there will still be some fool argueing the same thing.
But Audi, far be it from me to be pessimistic but what happens when the cops up in Mayo are from say Rumania. This is where it is headed. Look at what those pigs in Genoa did.

A cop will follow orders because he dosn't want to lose their job. The less power they have the better and they are as crocked as could be as shown up in Donegal. The Irish need to cop themselves on right quick or they will be a subjugated race like they were for 800 years.

AfricanDave wrote:

There is something that bothers me about the treatment of protestors by gardaí.
Does anyone know what oath a garda swears on becoming a garda?
Do they swear to follow orders or do they swear to uphold the law and defend the constitution?
Something
tells me that beating people across the legs with battons is just
following orders and has nothing to do with upholding the law or
defending the constitution.

Here's the garda oath:

Quote :

I _________ hereby solemly and sincerely declare before God that - I will faithfully discharge the duties of a member of the Garda Síochána with fairness, integrity, regard for human rights, dillegence and impartiality, upholding the Constitution and the laws and according equal respect to all people.[2005][no.20] Garda Síochána Act. 2005.
While I continue to be a member, I will to the best of my skill and knowledge discharge all my duties according to law, and I do not belong to, and will not remain a member, form, belong to or subscribe to, any political party or secret society whatsoever.

Also, in Dublin Castle there's a plaque that displays a quote from Michael Staines, the first garda commissioner:

Michael Staines wrote:

The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people.

Audi wrote:

It's going to be a serious battle ahead if the locals persist. Isn't
there a problem with a freshwater lake nearby - Carrowmore? Weren't the
EU people processing a possible directive infringement for the lake
which is on the route of the pipeline - or was that route changed or do
you know the result of that EU issue?

The route of the pipeline was changed because the Rossport 5 were not giving up. Shell admitted this in the High Court whilst I was present to witness it. Of course, in my opinion, the real reason that Shell wanted to drop the case was that they didn't want the constitutionality of CAOs (Compulsory Acquisition Orders) examined.

The water of Carrowmore is a fractious subject - I'm not aware of any EU move to process a directive infringement (doesn't mean that there isn't one) - I'm pretty sure that Shell having the peat removed from its development caused a massive runoff of aluminimum into the drinking water supply at Carrowmore and I'm sure that the authorities including the County Council have done nothing about it short of spinning it and offering assurances and denials. Check this article out (it's by Oscar Beard, a hugely respected Indy journalist from Indymedia UK who came all the way to Mayo to document what's going on - excellent video here too, that goes into detail on the water issue): HERE.

Youngdan's on the ball when he speaks of the Gardaí. Don't agree about those who seek drug legalisation being fools though, but I do see and agree with the point he illustrated with it. When you see a group of gardaí with batons drawn (whether or not they be in riot gear) you're not witnessing a group of individuals looking out for your rights or safety. You're witnessing a pack that has made the psychological transition into 'hunt mode.' Guess who the prey is?

Why wasn't Mayo County Council not fining Shell for the releases of such levels of aluminium? (from Hermes link above)

And John Gormley wants to do something about posters....

What do you mean about posters Seathrún - people posting here or posters on poles or people who post posters.. ?

Agus tá failte romhat ar ais arís.

bump

Should I merge these two Rossport threads?

Audi wrote:

Should I merge these two Rossport threads?

Feel free, though it might get a little complex, the Maura saga is far from finished.

On the other hand, Naoise, who was hurt whilst in Garda custody, as outlined in this thread, is Maura's husband.

Might be better to start a third thread? One that goes deeper into the S2S saga and arguments. I could contact a few folks and have something written, and help with it myself, but the way things are currently, I'd be kidding myself to believe anything substantial could be arranged before the weekend was finished. Then of course, I'd have to organise the data into something readable and add lots of video etc. But it's doable.

I'll leave them as two.

There's no problem if you want to do that Hermes but are you sure? because the Corribsos site has a comprehensive history of it as does Indymedia and there are tons of posts on p.ie about it too - among other places. I'm thinking of scanning in the Rossport 5 book and uploading it here too Well, the first chapter or one chapter anyway. Do you know if there is more than one book on it?

Feel free to start a thread if you are into it but don't put yourself under any pressure.

First of all commendations to both of you for keeping an eye on this and if you come up with that material I will be looking forward to it.

Hermes, you misunderstood what I said about drugs legalisation. What I said was that there will always be a fool speaking against legalisation, not vice versa. He will be always there because the drug prohibitions serves 2 purposes. It provides billions of dollars for dealers on one side but more importantly for payoffs on the other. It is a money machine for corruption and bribes.

The second purpose is to give pretend work for cops. Then when the Denver Convention or the Rossport situation comes arround they are there to burst limbs of decent people who have to pay for them.

Some believe that cops are there to fight crime. If you are a publican in Elphin who nearly gets killed by knackers without a cop coming for hours you might begin to figure it out. Cops are there to protect The State.