04.04.07 Sees Yet More Aggression by Shell Cops

mayo | environment | news report Wednesday April 04, 2007 16:30 by Pete

Another day at Ballinaboy: Peat haulage increases, more gardai brutality, extreme gardai presence scares off tourists.. if you don't believe me, come down and see!

This morning saw the continuation of an unbelievable Garda presence; 5 paddy wagons, 3 squad cars and the 'undercover' detective car, all to guard the Shell refinery gates and escort the peat trucks. That's not including the other Gardai stationed at the peat depository area, in transit along the route or away on donut breaks.

Two people went down towards Gate 3 to examine the diesel spill (still there after 11 days!) and were 'escorted' by 7 Garda. Approx 15-20 trucks are now engaged in hauling peat, starting shortly before 8am, to the peat depository in Bangor where it will no doubt leech into the water ways and sea there. There were a few attempts to block the peat trucks and this was met by the usual over-reaction; one boy was pushed down on to the ditch, hitting his head on the steel signpost. This assault on a minor was clearly intended to provoke a reaction from his father.

Further down the haulage route, three women stood with placards on the verge of the road until a paddywagon drove up to them at speed and slammed open the door, badly knocking one of the women. The other two women caught her just before she fell in to the ditch but when the Gardai saw she was hurt, they all bundled back in the van and sped away. Seconds later, another paddy wagon pulled up and asked if she was 'doing a Maura Harrington'. All three women were in shock and the injured woman has gone for medical attention.

Chief Supt McNamara claim in the Mayo News yesterday that 'the gardaí were all from the Mayo division' is as true as Shell claiming 85% of the workers are local! A quick glance at their numbers shows this is not the case at all. People are most welcome to come and see for themselves! (for once, it's not raining).

On Monday afternoon, a family on holiday here were pretty suprised to stumble across the refinery and Gardai! They has just been admiring the beautiful coastline and couldn't believe this area could be potentially destroyed. They were too afriad to leave their car as the trailer was surrounded by 3 paddy wagons, but asked to sign the visitor's book and take leaflets. Of course, Shell claim that their development will not negatively impact tourism....