Shell return to Glengad in force

mayo | environment | news report

Wednesday April 22, 2009 23:34

by A - RSC

Protestors beaten by Gardai

Todays fencing (and gates?) in Glengad is right now being removed by the community

Shell returned in force to Glengad early this morning on Wednesday 22nd April 2009. Willie Corduff & 2 others lay under a Shell truck where Willie lies as we write, and is not for moving, despite the efforts of a number of Gardai to remove him.

The gates go up

A camper sat atop a digger for approximately 10 hours without food, water or warm clothing, until Shell replaced that digger with another and he was forcibly removed by Shell security.

Willie Corduff and co had stones thrown at them by the Gardai, Willie had his ankle beaten with a rock by the Gardai and another protestor under the lorry had his head repeatedly banged off the ground by Gardai. Willie was also scratched and stuck in the privates by Gardai.

Shell returned in force today to Glengad, arriving about 6.45, by about 7 protestors from the community and camp had started to gather.
Willie Corduff, Goldman Environmental Award Winner and 2 others climbed under a truck carrying palisade fencing on the SAC. A camper climbed onto a telescopic loader, later changing to a 20t excavator/digger used for lifting the fencing panels.
Maura Harrington partially blocked the front entrance of the compound with her car, and throughout the day many folk jumped the fence and tried to stop the destruction of this pristine habitat.
Shell had dozens of security and dozens of workers, but were severely hampered in their activities by stiff local resistance. The occupation of truck and digger meant that they had only limited resources for their work, but in the late afternoon they had another digger and another truck load of fencing dropped to site.
The Gardai tried to talk the digger jumper and Wille & co out but to no avail, they simply kept stating that they wanted to see Shell’s permissions to be carrying out the work. When this failed they took a more direct approach with the men under the lorry. They managed to pull Willie’s boots off and stared twisting his toes, they threw stones at them and beat Willie on the ankle with a rock, while another lorry protestor had his had repeatedly banged off the ground by a thug masquerading as a Inspector. Willie was also scratched and stuck in the privates by Gardai.
As the hours ticked by the Gardai had Maura’s car towed by plant hire owner Carey. After 9hrs on the digger the camper was grabbed by security and forcibly pulled off, severly bruising his legs and arm. The other 2 people under the lorry spent approx 8hrs under it.
The weather turned nasty with gale force winds and driving rain, which made life difficult for protestors and workers alike.
This evening Willie remains under the lorry and the Gardai have left. Another man manged to get under the lorry with Willie this evening. There is a large security force still in Glengad, with a crowd forming of solemn protestors standing near Willie in the dark but the situation still seems potentially volatile. Rumour is that several fire brigade units are on their way to lift the lorry and remove him.
The local radio station, Midwest Radio, have been openly calling in their news for Shell to produce documentation to the effect that they have the necessary permissions to work in Glengad which they don’t seem to have.
Around noon or so the portaloos that Shell had dropped on the SAC blew over and all their chemicals poured out onto the SAC, no attempt was made to clean up the chemical spill and the portaloos were only stood up again about 7pm.
Today Shell eventually managed to put up large front gates and create the top compound section with a 2nd set of gates leading down into the SAC.
Despite telling 1 or 2 people they were arrested no arrests were made.
People are frustrated & angry but determined, they need all the help they can get, so now is the time to get to Erris if you can, for whatever support you can give.