Galway S2S picketed Shell the past two evenings

by Jan Sun Oct 22, 2006 04:09

You don't really believe Fine Gael and Labour are a better alternative to FF?! Do you honestly expect Pat and Enda will throw the US Airforce out of Shannon? Please get real. Fianna Fail keep winning because the opposition are crap. Lowry took bribes too. And when Barry Desmond was Labour Minister for Health (1982-86) he slashed spending on the hospitals.

by Fred Johnston Sat Oct 21, 2006 19:32 sylfredcar at iolfree dot ie

These 'ordinary punters' of Ireland - aren't they the same who stood by while Ireland's oil was sold off to a foreign country? While tribunal after tribunal revealed the crookedness of some Ministers and the venality of politicians? While Haughey bought Charvet shirts in Paris and our hospitals went Third World? Who voted in a government in hock to Big Building and Big Finance? And who will do so again? Who worry about losing their jobs if American firms pull out of Shannon due to protests over US troops being allowed to use the place as a murder stopover? (They'll pull out anyway). Are these the 'punters' you mean?

by Buckbowski Sat Oct 21, 2006 08:52

Use your intelligence people. All shell and these other big corporations care about is the bottom line i.e. their profit. Topaz may have the franchise for Shell in Ireland but they still have to buy their oil from Shell and they still have to pay licence fees for the right to use Shells name.

For you simple minded folk take the example of someone buying a franchise of a fast food company e.g. subway. They may own the store but they still have to buy their products from the fast food company (subway). They still have to pay licence fees and they still have to behave within the guidelines put in place by the fast food company (subway). Try to understand that.

Now if you take the case of Topaz and shell. Shell makes a fortune from licence fees and oil sales to Topaz. If Topaz sell less oil then they will buy less oil from Shell, thus reducing shells profit. It is for this reason that picketing shell stations around the country is most definitley an act of solidarity and support for the protestors in Mayo.

The only objection I have is when people actively stop/block consumers from purchasing the product (this only infuriates the consumer and turns them against you). Pickets should be kept to informing the consumer, increasing public awareness and allowing the consumer to make their own mind up.

Has anybody created a generic email to inform people of the facts of the case. You could then send it to everybody in your address book and ask them to forward it to everybody in theirs. This is just a quick way of getting information to people around the globe who may not access indymedia.

by Balar of the Baleful Eye Sat Oct 21, 2006 02:16

So let Topaz replace Shell's logo with its own on al these garages. In the meantime, they seem proud enough to use the name of a company involved in corporate pillage.

These advertisers justify protests, but also, in their role as oil oligopolists stifling the future of renewable energy, they are also contemptable. The oligopolies of the oil industry have been dictating energy terms since the replacement of railroads and trams in the US in the early 1900s. We pay the price of their greed every day in everything we buy.

by JH Fri Oct 20, 2006 15:51

Good man jim....well said.

This man's opinion is typical of the ordinary punter in Ireland.

by jim Fri Oct 20, 2006 15:21

i have to say as a galwegian, the picketing of shell stations in galway or anywhere for that matter is pointless, do you seriously think that a few placards outside a former shell petrol station is in anyway beneficial to a protest taking place up the north end of mayo

if you want to protest up there protest but let us get on with our lives down here without having to face protestors with placards when we need to fill up

by spinner Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:19

The blockades damage the Shell brand and also raises awareness of the issue.

by CMC Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:11

In this modern age of technology, how hard would it be for the protestors at Shell garages around the country to find out that these same garages do not belong to Shell anymore, and are owned by Topaz? Kinda defeats the purpose of their protests. Picketing these garages has absolutely no effect on Shell.

by cool j Thu Oct 19, 2006 03:51

Thank you from all the good people in Erris fighting Shell and their state thugs!!

by Green giant Thu Oct 19, 2006 01:01

Well done to them for protesting against Shell, wonder if the Gardai act so inappropriately with their fists there as they did in Rossport?

by TD - S2S Wed Oct 18, 2006 23:07

three !>

Mary Ellen & Kathleen

Charlie

Tommy