Photos from Rossport today

by ken - supporter Tue Mar 13, 2007 22:11

I must first appolagise to the people of Bellanaboy for not being able to attend any of your as always peacefull protests at what SH HELL and our own government are trying to do to you. From my observations of the whole situation, the greater population of Ireland are not seeing the true picture,ie. the unlawfull taking of our natural resources, the unwillingness of SH HELL to listen to the people involved, the unwillingness of our own government to listen to the people, and the police brutality that the fine people of Mayo and surrounding areas have to put up with. On of the main things that I believe should be done is for anyone that has suffered in any way from the unlawful beatings that the gaurds are dishing out should be reported and followed through. One of the main so called officers that should definately be reported is that O Reilly one as his name keeps cropping up when beatings are dished out. I am sure that the info is up there as to how to do this, just ask Niall. One thing strikes me when listening to some of this is that probably none of the gaurds on duty in Bellanaboy are properly trained to deal with any sort of protest, especialy a peacefull one. Maybe with the ellections coming up the pollititions might listen to the people for a change. the question of proper training maybe needs to be explored a bit more if anyone is interested. I must sign of now, but I will keep in touch when I can. Don't forget to report report report. Keep the Faith and GOD BLESS.

by Bill - Galway S2S Wed Oct 25, 2006 14:59

Tá sé fíor go bhfuilimid in aghaidh Shell, an rialtas agus an dlí, ach tá na gardaí ag cur an dlí I bhfeidhm, go fíochmhar. Níl sé de dhualgas ar na gardaí a bheith chomh garbh lena agóideoirí. Tá siad ag caith daoine isteach sa díog ar taobh an bhóthar, go crua.

Tógadh Connor O’Reilly isteach chun stop a chur leis an agóid, agus tá sé ag éirí leis a phleain. An seachtain seo chaite, rug sé greim ar mo chara, timpeall an muinéal! Caithimid, na agóideoirí, an cosaint; cosaint ó Shell agus ó O’Reilly.

Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil formhór na gardaí múinte, ach mar is eol duit, tá a lán bhastairt ann freisin.

by Duine Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:51

Ná déanaigí dearúd go bhfuilimid in aghaidh polasaí Shell is an stáit; nílimid in aghaidh gíománaigh an stáit. Níl siad ach ag cur a ndualgas i bhfeidhm.

Má théann siad thar fóir, cuir an dlí orthu, sin an fáth a bhfuil sé ann. Tá grianghrafanna agus fianaise agaibh agus gheobhfar poiblíocht

by governmentsamsara Mon Oct 23, 2006 23:23

While on the march at Bellanaboy last Friday the 20th of October '06 Sgt Conor O'Reilly saw fit to personally deliver a heavy blow to the back of my neck. He then pinched me (pathetic schoolyard bully-with-a-badge or what?) and threw me across the road. I'm just one more victim of this fascists instigational strategy of tension in Rossport.

Locals confide that the police are lifting children on the daily protests by their throats and dragging them by their ears to try and get a rise out of their parents.

by Lefty Type - Dublin Shell to Sea Sun Oct 22, 2006 19:03

Gardaí's funniest home videos, part 1

grrrrrrrr....

"Jaysus, would ya look at the ronnie on that one!"

Ah, he's no Burt Reynolds tho

indeed

LW161, this cop kicked me 3 times and refused to even look at me when I challenged him over it. typical of the cowardly two-faced money grabbing traitors that pass for law enforcement on these shores. LW161, you are a disgrace to your badge, your people a

by Lefty Type - Dublin Shell to Sea Sun Oct 22, 2006 18:58

with all these police around, you'd swear a crime was happening

We were closely monitored all morning

by Lefty Type - Dublin Shell to Sea Sun Oct 22, 2006 18:54

the rolling blockade continued for a number of hours, and managed to disrupt the flow of construction traffic greatly

Red Belfield was well represented as ever

"oh the great old Duke of York..."

1 protestor managed to climb up atop the roof of a scab truck

Gardaí hemmed us in at one point during an illegal detention

approaching midday, the crowd began to dissipate

by Lefty Type - Dublin Shell to Sea Sun Oct 22, 2006 18:49

the apporach to the refinery took a good 1-2 hours as police did their utmost to harass, push and bully the largely placid crowd of demonstrators

Sergeant O'Reilly, not that you could tell by his numbers/ gracious offer to show identity

opposite the refinery

back of the horsebox

Shell's onsite securiy

by Lefty Type - Dublin Shell to Sea Sun Oct 22, 2006 18:44

the rolling blockade then starts moving

forming a "guard" of honour for construction traffic to pass through

UCD brought a full bus down

Robocop at work

Gardaí "peacefully" remove demonstrators

by Lefty Type - Dublin Shell to Sea Sun Oct 22, 2006 18:39

people assembled before dawn

by Niall - Rossport Solidarity Camp Sun Oct 22, 2006 12:29 rossportsolidaritycamp at gmail dot com

If this purse in the photo is yours please contact me at 086 8444966.

Great day on Friday. Local community very encouraged. More to follow.

Meetings happening around the country this week and next, to return to Bellanaboy. Keep an eye on events: http://indymedia.ie/events

If this is your purse contact 086 8444966

by HK Sat Oct 21, 2006 18:25

The Gardai in Rossport are out of control. I saw Sergent Conor O'Reilly punching, slapping, and kneeing people in the groin. I was punched by a Garda in the stomach, while I had both hands in the air, crying to be let out of the crowd.

A lot of people spent the whole morning crying after witnessing the violence. It was so hard to see people getting beaten up. We were pleading with Gardai to stop Sergent Conor O'Reilly and others from beating people up. We were trying to connect with them as humans. They just looked the other way. It was interesting to see people crying and hugging after the protest. The reaction to police violence was one of shock and disbelief. It was an emotional reaction, not a violent one.

The worst moment for me yesterday was when a woman standing at the side of the road yesterday got pushed to the ground by a guard and hit her head. I was on the other side of a police line, and I thought the truck was going to run over her on the ground. We were crying, desperately trying to get to her to help her. I was pleading with the Gardai holding me to let me help her, that the truck was going to run over her. They looked the other way. I begged several Gardai to stop Conor O'Reilly, that he was beating people up. Again, they all looked the other way.

At around 11 o'clock at the refinery site, I approached two women Gardai. I asked them, as women, what they thought of particularly strong male guards punching and dragging women by the hair. One of the women Gardai just kept texting and walked away. This was very disrespectful. The other woman guard just kept asking "Where are you from?" repeatedly. It was hard to know if we got through to her on a human level. After about 2 minutes she walked away while I was talking to her.

The violence by the Gardai yesterday was shocking, and it was really apt that people had a very emotional reaction to it. Images of Conor O'Reilly on the nine o'clock news last night were indicative of the violence perpetrated by the Gardai yesterday, but it did not show the worst of it.

Police in Rossport utilise the state defence of corporate interests as an opportunity to cause pain and bruising

I also received a mean sly punch to the stomach by one of four male Gardaí who surrounded me in Rossport yesterday

by rossport and shell Sat Oct 21, 2006 14:05

Sorry if i didnt make my point Clear, I totaly agree with you.
Thats the point I was trying to make.

by Andy Sat Oct 21, 2006 13:46

With respect, I think Shell's "side" of this has been aired to exhaustion via a very well-funded PR campaign, whose agents seem to be legion, and a willing media. The facts of the case, re. legality, safety, environmental damage, natural resources issues, corruption etc., have been successfully obscured and confused. So while I agree that in principle, all other things being equal, "both sides" have a right to be heard, that implies that media coverage of the Rossport campaign has been both thorough and impartial - which is by no means true. The media, taking their cue from Government and relying on Shell press releases, have effectively excluded even any accurate representation of the facts of the case.

by watChing Closely Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:40

I agree I think the artilCe today in page 15 of the irish times is onesided
both sides should be given fair space to share their views .

by Coilín Sat Oct 21, 2006 03:51

Unlike Shell, most Man United supporters would gladly identify themselves to endorse their support. Unlike Man United, Shell pays its staunchest supporters in cash.

Some public relations initiatives take the form of highly articulate newspaper articles citing highly dodgy opinion polls, and some could take the form of poorly punctuated cheerleading posted by highly qualified PR people under pseudonyms.

Seanfhocal is ea á go mbíonn cluas ar na claíocha, ach más ea, déarfainn go mbíonn béal ar na nótaí bainc.

Beir bua agus beannacht,
Coilín.

by Northern Light Sat Oct 21, 2006 01:34

Does it strike any readers as bizarre that someone would openly call themselves a Shell Supporter?. Manchester United supporter I can understand or Ballina Stephenites supporter for that matter but Shell supporter? What does this mean? Something like "I support an Anglo Dutch multinational corporation in their efforts to extract gas from Ireland and profit from its sale to the highest bidder. All of this regardless of the consequences for environment, health & safety or a well thought out and locally agreed economic development plan for the area."

If I support Man. Utd. or Ballina Stephenites I get the pleasure of watching them perform their sport and defeat their adversary. If I support Shell I get the pleasure of watching them build a giant polluting refinery in a bog, install a high pressure pipeline through an unstable bog, attempt to defeat their adversary - the families who have lived in the area for generations and finally depart the area when all the gas is gone.

For the Shell supporter this can only be described as voyeurism at its very very worst...

by a new supporter Fri Oct 20, 2006 21:28

The Government an shell should be ashamed of themselves for what they have
done to the people in this aera.

by Shell 2 Sea Fri Oct 20, 2006 21:04

from Rossport

Gardaí unlawfully detain and assault local resident