Shell to Sea Protester arrested at Bellanaboy.

mayo | environment | press release

Monday April 16, 2007 11:09

by Niall Harnett - Shell to Sea

Press Statement.

Niall Harnett, Arrested at Shell Corrib Gas Refinery Site, Bellanaboy.

Mon 16th April 2007.

Since October 3rd 2007 until now, over a period of over six months, I have been viciously assaulted, like many others, on numerous occasions, by members of An Garda Siochana.

I have done nothing wrong, nor ever been accused of any offence of law at Bellanaboy. I have strived constantly to defend my fundamental human and personal rights as well as my constitutional rights to free assembly and protest against Shell and the Irish Government. I have been punched, kicked and beaten by Gardai. I’ve been forcibly searched on the street against my will and I have had personal property stolen and destroyed by Gardai. I have had my car stolen under ‘colour of law’ by them, relief for which am seeking through the painstaking and inefficient process of High Court Judicial Review of their behaviour, which I have initiated against them. Meanwhile my car rots in Belmullet Garda Station for the last 6 months.

I have also been under constant surveillance by Gardai who film me constantly and refuse to give legal reasons for this further abuse of my constitutional rights to personal privacy.

Today at Bellanaboy, while being filmed by Gardai, I again reminded them of those rights and asked them to account again for their behaviour with legislative provision. Again, they refused. I asked them to stop filming and again they refused. I informed them that I would be taking immediate action to protect my fundamental human and constitutional rights by physically directing their video camera away from myself.

As a result of this effort to defend myself in that way, I was arrested.

Statement Ends.
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For verification contact:

Shell to Sea spokeperson John Monaghan at 086 3123439

Or Niall Harnett at 086 8444966, on his release from custody.