Shell HQ Shut Down

by matt Fri Apr 27, 2007 09:55

Gardaí are resorting to violence in an attempt to break the blockade. After a brief period as they waited for more numbers to arrive Gardaí are already attempting to provoke a confrontation with the peaceful though determined protesters.
Using heavy handed tactics the Gardaí are throwing protesters to the ground as they block workers from entering the building, despite there being no threat to either the Gardaí or the employees.
Protesters are refusing to be provoked by these actions.

by tnc corcaí - tnc Fri Apr 27, 2007 14:44

THE PRIZE IS RIGHT FOR ANTI-SHELL ACTIVIST, AS PROTESTS CONTINUE...

"Ireland should not negotiate away its environment for the sake of a few jobs..." - Dr Owens Wiwa, brother of executed Nigerian poet Ken Saro Wiwa

by Zorro - none Fri Apr 27, 2007 21:10

As someone not involved in the protest and not working or connected with Shell I innocently drove down Leeson Place past the entrance to Shell when going to my own place of work further down Leeson Place just before 9.00 am this morning 27th April.

What I saw and witnessed was an ugly scene with violent protestors, Gardai trying very hard to stop them damaging my car and I have to say while prior to this morning I was to some degree sympathetic to your cause, I have now no sympathy whatsoever for the protestors and have every sympathy for the Gardai.

I had to lock my car doors and roll up my windows even though I was just driving by, the Gardai were struggling to hold back the protestors from my car. This is a dangerous non peaceful means of protesting and I suggest your organisation considers the damage it is causing, it is only a matter of time before someone is injured badly.

Other people working locally saw what went on and saw cars being damaged as they went into the Shell car park. They and I were very surprised the Gardai did not arrest the protestors. They shoudl have put a few of those thugs away for a few weeks and they woudl think twice about carrying on so disgracefully with innocent passers by.

Shame on you! Given the thuggery I saw this morning I am not on this occasion giving my name, quite honestly I woudl be afraid of the violent retaliation.

by Witness Fri Apr 27, 2007 21:27

No protestors damaged any cars today at the blockade (or tried to).

Get your head out of the clouds.

by fearbolg - s2s Fri Apr 27, 2007 21:30

Hi, Zorro,

as usual, you're wearing your mask.

An even lamer than usual attempt at Garda apologism.

If your car was damaged, surely the first thing to do is report it to the Gardai whom you consider were doing such a good job today, then identify those involved from the pictures we've so kindly provided.

Were you moved to comment when local Erris people were hospitalised in the Garda baton charge in November?

Our Gardai have, for the past six months, been used as private muscle for Shell in Erris. Now it's happening in the capital. The Guards don't like it, and the country is finally waking up to what this is all about. So use your sword to scratch P.D on the nearest tree and then ride out of town, because the times they are a' changing.

by Zorro Fri Apr 27, 2007 22:07

I did not say my car was damaged but did say I heard other peoples cars were damaged by protestors jostling up against them, minor dents I believe but the point is that innocent people felt threatneted by the protestors behaviour and they have no right to damage private property.

I am glad the Gardai were there because they were able to protect innocent passers by from the very aggressive protestors.

I have the utmost of praise for the Gardai for dealing in such a tolerant way with what was in my opinion a pack of ignorant savages. TheGardai have obviously been trained well in restraint. A lesser person woudl have probably reacted in kind and come down to the same level as the protestors.

I say again, shame on you.

by MacNo Fri Apr 27, 2007 22:33

My mate said....always a great way to start a post. My mate said Andy Pyle snorts coke...anonymous sources...etc. Protesters had no intention of damaging cars or "attempting to" ,we were blocking entrances to the building. If anyone was attempting to damage any car don't you think one of the many Gardai would arrest them? Isn't there a huge hole in your fabricated story? You praise the Gardai yet surley they should have arrested someone for atempting to damage your, or a friends car, no?

by Zorro - none, innocent passer by this morning Fri Apr 27, 2007 22:58

you are missing my main point which is that innocent people felt threatened (I was one of them) by the behaviour of the thugs protesting. I saw the protest with my own eyes and the Gardai were very restrained with theprotestors.

I agree that technically the damage to cars is hearsay as I did not actually see it myslef ( I was not hanging around any loinger than I had to as I was scared of what was going to happen) . I did see with my own eyes a very aggressive and frightening protest. That is fact and there is no arguing about it, it was stand up agressive protest most certainly not a peaceful one by any stretch of the imagination.

The gardai asked me to hold on for a while befroe I was let through as it took them quite a while to contain the protestors from coming out of the entrance on the right hand side as I was driving down the lane on the left,

I believe if the Gardai had not restrained the protestors thwy would have been all over me and my car,as it was they were shouting at me as I drove by. Why?

Some guy was going into Shells car park driving a nicer car than mine (a Porche I believe) and the protestors seemed to be particulalry upset that he had a Porche and cursed out loud ' look a f'***'ing porche' and seemed to go particularly haywire then .

Expensive car and all that but surely the guy driving it is entitled to go into his car park without a particulalry savage going over just because he had a nice car?

Again I say shame on you, I am ashamed that people like you claim to be Irish and have Irelands interest at heart because you obvioulsy dont. Examine your conciences and think about what you are doing.

by MacNo Fri Apr 27, 2007 23:32

"I agree that technically the damage to cars is hearsay as I did not actually see it myslef "
Backtracking over the claims we tried to damgae cars now?

The guy in the Porche laughably claimed he was an RTE journalist, thats why someone said, "he's got a fucking Porche", you must have heard this from another friend I assume( as you said, "I was not hanging around any loinger than I had to"), and as you weren't there claims that we went "haywire" is presumably more hearsay similar to Shells claims that we pushed employees to the ground.

"I believe if the Gardai had not restrained the protestors thwy would have been all over me and my car,as it was they were shouting at me as I drove by. Why?"
Again, protesters were blocking the entrance and had no desire to be "all over" you, your car, or any other car of a higher value. Gardai were not restraing anyone from attacking cars, or yourself, they were fucking people out of the way of the entrance and some of them, myself included, were thrown into parked cars by the Gardai. People were shouting at drivers to turn their cars around, I can't see anything wrong with that. Cars which did not want to enter the carpark because of the blockade were allowed to proceed to the end of the alley, turn around, and exit the alleyway. Again, we had no interest in damaging any cars.

by Zorro Fri Apr 27, 2007 23:51

not backtracking , just agreeing that the car damage was not seen by me personally and being honest with my observations. I was there and did see the porche trying to get into the car park and all I am saying is what I saw.

Still pointing out you were an agressive protest. I think you should all be locked up and someone shoudl throw away the key! Only joking.

But seriously you should try and complete a peaceful and I mean a real peaceful protest, this mornings was not by any stretch if the imagaination peaceful and you are damaging any chance you have of being taken seriously.

by Zorro Fri Apr 27, 2007 23:51

not backtracking , just agreeing that the car damage was not seen by me personally and being honest with my observations. I was there and did see the porche trying to get into the car park and all I am saying is what I saw.

Still pointing out you were an agressive protest. I think you should all be locked up and someone shoudl throw away the key! Only joking.

But seriously you should try and complete a peaceful and I mean a real peaceful protest, this mornings was not by any stretch if the imagaination peaceful and you are damaging any chance you have of being taken seriously.

by Seán Ryan Sat Apr 28, 2007 00:02

Nobody was hurt by the protestors and no property was damaged by the protestors, except possibly by being thrown by Gardaí into parked cars. Where does the word 'violent' arise when describing the protest?

People are angry. They have a right to be angry. They have shown remarkable restraint - not violence. The term 'thugs' is an ill deserved description and is the mark of a person desperate to have something ill natured to say.

Deal with the facts. Imagination and imaginary friends and their opinions are not helpful to one's corporate masters at Shell. This will be clear in time. If Shell's lies about todays activists had any basis in reality, there'd be footage all over the telly and all over the papers.

by MacNo Sat Apr 28, 2007 00:03

"I agree that technically the damage to cars is hearsay as I did not actually see it myslef ( I was not hanging around any loinger than I had to)"

followed by

"I was there and did see the porche trying to get into the car park and all I am saying is what I saw. "

by MacE Tue May 01, 2007 11:51

The protestors were not violent, despite intense provocation, being punched, thrown to the ground, grabbed by the throat etc., resistance remained passive. In no instance was a car damaged deliberately. I didn't see any car damaged, unless it happened one of the many times a guard threw someone in its general direction. The closest it came to that was when one protestor foolishly rapped on the roof of one. Other protestors around him immediately stopped him. The guards weren't trying to stop anyone damaging any cars, how can you stop something that isn't happening? Don't worry about the guards arresting anyone, Shell have asked them to not to, it brings too much media attention. As for being taken seriously, we are. The state doesn't brutalise those they're not afraid of, it ignores them. Do you think you are taken seriously?