Latest from Glengad, Mayo - 29th July

by Rudiger Tue Jul 29, 2008 15:29

.

Detective undercover

Protestor being illegally detained inside the security huddle

by Chrissie Tue Jul 29, 2008 17:24

This report & photos show just what the Government & Gardai are about: defending big private capital against the environment & needs of the community. This project has no benefit to the people of Ireland. Best wishes to the injured protestor.

by Helen Tue Jul 29, 2008 17:54

A few examples:

Article 5 of United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

Article 8: "Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law."

Article 9: "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile."

Article 20: "Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association."

Article 28: "Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized."

by Patrick Tue Jul 29, 2008 18:15

"Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law"

From the Preamble of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

by JM Wed Jul 30, 2008 00:56

more pics from today

silt from imported stone discolouring the sea

dirty stone thrown into the SAC

illegally detained by unknown "security"

by Al C. Wed Jul 30, 2008 16:29

This is crazinesss, absolute madness...... if the powers that be, those that we have entrusted to represent us are not willing to protect us from exploitation or to defend our rights, then we must do it ourselves.............NOW!

by JImbo Wed Jul 30, 2008 19:06

Great to see the project is making progress...
Looks to me it is being carried out very safely...
It is a requirement under safety regulations to provide security fencing at construction sites.
keep up the good work

by Alan in Mayo Wed Jul 30, 2008 20:50

Glengad is looking more like the Gaza strip every day. For shame, where is the spirit of the Mayo people gone. The county should be coming to a complete stand still in protest. We need another Michael Davitt to raise the population from their apathy. It’s the people of Erris who are being walked on today - but tomorrow who knows?

by Researcher Wed Jul 30, 2008 22:33

Kildare-based Business Mobile Security Services Limited, trading as Integrated Risk Management Services (I-RMS) are providing the security for Shell. I-RMS is owned by Terry Downes and James Farrell. Director of Operations Farrell is a former Sergeant Major Special Forces unit of the Army Rangers, while CEO Downes is the former head of security of logistics at TNT. Indymedia UK Articule ( https://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404931.html )

The I-RMS website is currently not active - "Site under review and will be back on line soon."
http://www.i-rms.com/

A Whois search reveals that their website was created on 24th Aug 2004 All contact information for the company (Registrant Contact) is missing.
http://www.whois.net/whois_new.cgi?d=www.i-rms.com&tld=com

However, a deeper search reveals that their website has been very active. The simply changed the homepage (I will assume recently) but left the rest of the website online. (Lets see how long that lasts after this post). Anyway, full information on the company; its services "Mobile Covert and Overt Surveillance Services", and its management team can be found here.
http://www.i-rms.com/about.html

Their previous website pages from 2004:
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.i-rms.com

A www.cro.ie (Irish Companies Registration Office) check reveals the following information:

Type: Business Name

Registration Number: 262906

Name: INTEGRATED RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Address:

LIFFEY MILL HOUSE
ATHGARVAN
CO. KILDARE

Registered: 23/09/2004

Tel Number:
353 045 405165.

Email:
info@i-rms.com

Exposed: I-RMS - The security company for shell

by T Thu Jul 31, 2008 00:02

in the light of the above (which probably deserves an artcile of its own) it might be interesting to listen again to Shell's spokesperson refusing to name the security firm involved while on RTE radio

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-29109085292811...64847

John Egan comes on from about the 10.00min mark

by Ethel &Tom Corduff - shell to sea supporter Thu Jul 31, 2008 02:46

To Jimbo
What a load of bull you are spouting! Clearly you are one of Shell's cheer leaders or staff. How else can you call these disgraceful scenes on a public beach progress. As for praising the safety! This is like the former Berlin Wall backed up by a dodgy secretive security firm with security men from God knows where with no identification and probably little or no security clearance. All aided and encouraged by the Garda and no sign of the Green Party intervening. It is scandalous that this is been pushed through.

by Security Watcher Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:12

The gards are taking instructions from so-called security down at the beach. This man is refusing to meet with community representatives about the operation while helping Shell break the law.

Supt John Gilligan - Belmullet garda station

by len Fri Aug 01, 2008 15:32

Take my hat off to the photographer they are great shots of the site. Very professional job , of the fencing. Tom i lived and worked in Berlin and i was a regular passer by of the berlin wall it looked nothjing like that, there was no sea and loads of graffitti. Keep up the great fwork.

by Stevo Fri Aug 01, 2008 16:54 stevolende at lycos dot com

I'm disgusted by what I'm seeing here. I have photos of the beach before it was sullied in this way and it really is a place of natural beauty.
Wonder if it would be a time to start a national poster campaign of the how it should be and how it's now becoming. Postcards would be good too.
Also to note that this is the site before much work has been done to it. This is just a fence to protect the rape of the site. What's it going to look like in 6 months or 5 years time if this is allowed to continue?

& the idea of a pedestrian access to the beach so you can walk over the 345 bar pressure pipeline (you'll be able to drive over it on the other side of the estuary of course). Is this for the tourists who might just have been interested in visiting the area if it wasn't actively destroyed by big business?

I really hope that the campaign group can regain momentum, this needs to be stopped.

by Chrissie Fri Aug 01, 2008 19:15

Before & after postcards would show up $Hell's 'progress' on the beach & roads in Mayo. Thankfully, the campaign is now regaining its momentum - people are mighty disgusted with what's been happening.

by Angry Geordie - Shoplifters of the world Sat Aug 02, 2008 19:18

I'm ashamed I haven't been to Rossport, it's vile what's being done, a hilarious contradiction with what we hear constantly from mass media/politicians/business offsetting their demon seed... it's amazing people are standing up to this, but let's not waste time talking about governments or businesses as if they had altruistic motives for those who have no respect for the world we live in well quite clearly have no respect for anything that lives in the world. They have no qualms about killing, they sleep well at night and quite clearly eat well as the photos show, this is of course as has been pointed out the tip of the ice berg and we only need look to Iraq to see what our governments and businesses are prepared to do to take what they want from any one and any thing, they are always at war with us in every conceivable meaning of the word and the slightest naivety we have to leave our backs turned for a second will leave us dead. Whatever happens to one happens to all

by C Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:08

See some recent dealings with one of the Shell security on glengad beach on this Youtube clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42R0JLGfxGI

This guy would be one of the security managers down on the site. He seems to have a few anger management issues as last Thursday morning at around 6:30am, 4 locals armed with cups of tea stopped a minibus and 2 people carriers full of security in Pollathomais. This guy got out of one of the people carriers and punched the van on his way up to the locals. He then puffed out his chest and tried to square up to one of the locals but was just laughed out of it. The security vehicles then turned around and headed back the way they came.

Caption: Video Id: 42R0JLGfxGI Type: Youtube Video
Embedded video Youtube Video

by Chrissie Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:38

Come & see what's happening; some people couldn't believe what they were seeing. We can't trust governments & multinational companies to act for our good, or for the Earth's. You will be welcome to Erris.

by Just some thought.. Tue Aug 05, 2008 23:06

Two points. 1. In my opinion You tube clips like the one above do more harm than good. As a genuinely neutral observer i think Niall comes out like the bigger git than Shell security in this instance. Concealed cameras make you no better or worse than shell.

2. Long term if this project goes ahead (and with the forces at play it probably will) i would be worried that this beach protests may only be detrimental in that whatever shell is putting in/on the beach will now end up having a long term security presence and permanent fencing. So perhaps if after all the protests go ahead the legacy of the protest may be in fact a bigger monstrosity on the landscape than even evil shell planned.
Thats all i have to say. Wish you well in your endeavours all the same.

by MacE Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:10

There's a hundred instances like this, where the law is being deliberately broken for a reason (in this instance to give anonymity to people who are legally obliged to wear identification), and the Guards ignore it because it's being done by "their" side. On the other hand, campaigners get violence and/or detention when they transgress, even if they are not technically breaking the law (such as walking on the north side of the road at Bellanaboy). It's very frustrating and demoralising, and has contributed a lot to local people's loss of faith in Garda impartiality.

by lulu Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:49

Garda impartiality, & Irish independence, were devoured by the hungry Celtic Tiger - some people did very well, too many were sold out

by C Wed Aug 06, 2008 18:54

Here is a video from the 24th July 2008 on glengad Beach when members of the local community were forced from a section of the beach

Caption: Video Id: T6PbT9C36Ds Type: Youtube Video
Embedded video Youtube Video

by rossporter Wed Aug 06, 2008 23:49

Re the comment by "just some thought" above:

1: I don't see how anyone could say that Niall came across as worse than the guard- he introduced himself and asked to shake hands- the guard by contrast showed himself to be a threatening bully. Youtube clips like this are invaluable in showing a wide audience what is happening.

2: You seem to be suggesting something along the lines of - "it's going to be bad but the protests will only make it worse. "

At least protesting makes those who oppose the project clear in their opposition. Perhaps some people think that more might be achieved by writing to the papers or contacting politicians, but experience has shown that protest has its place in the scheme of things.

by just some thoughts Thu Aug 07, 2008 20:46

Re the reply from Rossporter

1: Perhaps i am little harsh on Niall...i just dont like this whole let me pretend to be your friend approach. Its just too much like someone looking for you to invest in a dodgy timeshare...... But i take your point.

2: "If it's going to be bad but the protests will only make it worse. " thats exactly what i am saying. But maybe i have a defeatist attitude. As an example if you take it that as a consequence of the original protest activity the government iniated the advatica report. One of its recommendations was to limit this famous pipeline pressure. So what to shell propose...stick in more euipment on the pipeline and tell us problem solved. Now i am not an engineer but each time you add anything you are aslo adding failure points......it gets more complicated..and less likely to work. Simple things work best best etc etc....the whole project has been tweaked and adjusted to death...i see the latest proposed route looks to take practically 90degree bends....is that safer than original route...I doubt it
i do admire the effort and dedication that has gone on so far. But it really needs to be an all or nothing approach at this stage. Otherwise if anything we get even more odd ball tweaks. I dont see shell pulling out no matter what at this stage unless the protest gets more international attention. A gas refinery thats nearing completion...vessels off shore....a willing government....
But best of luck!!

by Frank - Security Wed Sep 10, 2008 13:27

Some of the shell security staff are former military and have served in Iraq as both military and after with Blackwater.

by Mayoman Tue Jun 23, 2009 20:54

Michael Dwyer wasn't up to much in Bolivia. Of course its easier to terrorize unarmed men, women and children when you have the state security apparatus beyond you.