Direct action at Top Oil

national | anti-war / imperialism | news report Saturday September 27, 2003 21:24 by jh

the point was well made

A group of people agreed to do a blockade of Top Oil today after the antiwar march.

The idea was to go on from the march at about 4:00pm when it finshed but the speeches went on so long that they went anyway at 4.

For passersby it must have been a strange sight to see about 20 young people with about dozen masked up with black flags walking through the streets of Dublin.

They arrived at top oil on Amien street to see about 20 cops already there, at first they tried to stand in a line locked arms across the entrance but the police began to push and jostle the group and as the group had no ambition to cause trouble (apart from blockading the petrol station ) it seemed they were content to stand to the side and let the police and crowd put drivers off from entering the forecourt although about 5 cars did drive through it never seems to be a very busy station.

Although it is not my wish to speak for the group I feel it was a very succesful action in terms of showing that people who wish to mask up and wear black are of little threat to anyone, and as ever highlight Top Oil part in refueling the US military palnes in Shannon. Im sure they'll be alot of talk of them being intimidating but thats an issue for the intimidated not this group.

The tactics of the group today ranged from dancing at the cops, waving flags and while trying to construct a banner from cardboard it was ripped off them by some overzealous cops. and as with rts on monday the total overkill from the cops was nothing but funny, as they took notes and photographs and tried to mingle with the crowd.More people came around 5 after having listend to all the speeches at merrion square but the action was only eer going to be an hour so they were too late.

You can do a search of this site and find all the dicussion on why one should boycott top oil.