earthfirst – Page 254

Japanese Whaling Fleet Confronted By Sea Shepherd + Interview With Nottingham Activist On Board

3.03.2008 – Aboard the M/Y Steve Irwin Southern Oceans —The crew on the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin engaged in a confrontation with the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru this morning between 0800 and 1000 Hours. The Nisshin Maru cannot outrun the Steve Irwin. After a 12 hour chase the Sea Shepherd ship closed the gap and passed alongside the Nisshin Maru. The crew deployed over two dozen bottles of rotten butter sending a stench throughout the whale killing ship that will remain for days. The crew also threw packets of a slippery chemical onto the deck of the Nisshin Maru. This will make it very difficult to cut up whales. The substance becomes even more slippery with water so it will be difficult to wash it off the decks.

“I guess we can call this non-violent chemical warfare,” said Captain Paul Watson. “We only use organic, non-toxic materials designed to harass and obstruct illegal whaling operations.” Four armed Japanese Coast Guard officers clearly identified in their uniforms videotaped the confrontation.

The Captain of the Nisshin Maru played a tape over and over again with a woman’s voice saying “Warning, warning, this is the Nisshin Maru captain. Stop your destructive actions immediately. If you dare to board this vessel you will be taken into custody and restrained as illegal intruders under Japanese law.”

Captain Paul Watson radioed the Nisshin Maru to inform them that they had no authority in the Australian Antarctic Territory. Captain Watson ordered the Japanese captain to cease all whaling operations and to comply with the Australian Federal Court ruling that prohibits the Japanese whaling fleet from killing whales in the Australian Antarctic Territorial waters.

The confrontation took place at 63 Degrees 17 Minutes South and 126 Degrees and 20 minutes east. This is 175 miles off the Banzare Coast inside the Australian Economic Exclusion Zone. The Steve Irwin has fallen half a mile off to the starboard side of the Nisshin Maru. “It stinks too bad to remain any closer,” said Todd Emko 32, of New York City.

Not a single whale has been killed since the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin returned to harass the Japanese whaling fleet in the Australian Whale Sanctuary. “They will not be getting their quota this year and that is a certainty,” said Jeff Hanson 35, from Fremantle, Western Australia. “In fact I don’t think they will be getting half their quota.” In total the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has shut down illegal Japanese whaling operations for over four and a half weeks.

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Interview With Nottingham Activist In Southern Ocean On Board Sea Shepherd Ship

Dan is an activist from Nottingham who has joined the crew on board the Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin in a bid to stop the illegal whaling activities of the Japanese near Antartica. The mission, named Migaloo, started last December and after refuelling in Melbourne last month, the Sea Shepherd crew is back in the oceans, have managed to track down the whaling fleet and have been in hot persuit of its main vessel, the Yushin Maru No. 2 for the last week. Accoring to one of the crew onboard the ship “the weather is getting colder and we are getting many hours of darkness now. The Antarctic winter is creeping up on us. The seas are getting rougher and we are getting blizzards.” We joined Dan via sattelite phone to ask him about his adventures..

Interview 28/02/08

Dan: Hello?

Q: Hello?

Dan: Eh up, how is it going?

Q: Yeah, I’m fine, how are you?

Dan: Good mate.

Q: And you thought you’d get away with not doing an interview with us? 🙂 (Dan left earlier than anticipated)

Dan: I knew you’d catch up with me eventually..

Q: So how is it going?

Dan: Yeah, I’m alright. We’re in the middle of the southern ocean right now. In a big storm at the moment with things flying around everywhere..

Q: I read some stuff about the seas being really rough, varied at times it would be like sunny and then blizzards and things..

Dan: Yeah, I mean we’ve got about 4 meter waves and I’m not sure what the windspeed is..

Q: But you’re all coping with it?

Dan: Yeah, we didn’t expect it to be this bad, from the weather reports we were getting. But its here now..

Q: Could you explain a little bit about what it is that you guys are doing there at the moment?

Dan: Right now we are chasing the Japanese whaling fleet around the coast of Antartica. We’d like to catch up with them and stop them. By constantly chasing them we’re hoping to reduce their ability to whale. […] They’re certainly not whaling in this weather. The last couple of days they haven’t killed any whales at all.

Q: You’ve been on the chase for a number of days. Is there an end in sight? How long is this gonna go on for?

Dan: I mean depending on the weather and stuff we will carry on until our fuel runs out. Thats still a good few weeks yet, which should bring us to the end of the whaling season actually. We should be leaving the same time as the [whaling] fleet.

Q: Whats your job on the ship?

Dan: Everyone has their set role on the ship. I’m in charge of the deck department. I am also in charge of all the ships cleaning duties, making sure the toilets are clean. Also looking after all the equipment on deck, like the crane and the anchors. I’m also in charge of the inflatable boats which we use on our actions. Making sure they are in good working order and getting people trained up to use them. So thats my job. We’ve got navigators, we’ve got people in the gally cooking, we got people in the engine room making sure we have the power and [there is] also a communications officer, who keeps us in touch with email etc, lots of different jobs.

Q: Why did you decide to join the Sea Shepherd more than any other organisation, for example Greenpeace?

Dan: I’m interested in the Sea Shepherd because of its direct action angle. We don’t do any protesting. We actually physically trying to stop [the whaling fleet]. Not really interested in just protesting, done that before.. I’m concerned with saving [animals] from the seas and ending whaling forever. Its the Sea Shepherd direct angle I’m attracted to..

Q: Because at the moment there are a lot of laws protecting whales.. A lot of laws have been passed, international treaties and all sorts which basically prohibit the whaling, but no one to enforce them and that that is the task that the Sea Shepherd has taken on.

Dan: In this situation the Sea Shepherd is actually playing the role of the Australian navy or coastguard. We’re in Australian waters and Australian territory. The Australian [Federal] Court ruled [recently] that the Japanese whaling [operations] inside their territory is illegal and that it should be restrained. There just isn’t the political will to do that. Japan and Australia are important trading partners. There are numerous laws which are protecting the whales down here, I’m not an expert on all of them, but there is the Convention International Trade In Endangered Species, the UN World Charter for Nature, which is actually empoweres [ordinary] people to enforce these laws, the International Whalings Commission Moratorium on Commercial Whaling, and the Antarctic Treaty protects whales. So they are really blatently breaking a whole bunch of laws. So it is a case of law enforcement, more so that protesting.

Q: Yeah, because I guess there could be a whole load of laws, but if there is no one to enforce them..

Dan: Yeah, its only worth as much as the piece of paper its written on.. These treaties should either not be agreed on or be enforced.

Q: You’re obviously doing a great job down there, is there anything people can do on land to support the stuff you’re doing down there?

Dan: When you go to the Sea Shepherd website there are numerous people you can contact to [confront] them about their inaction. There is Sea Shepherd UK who are constantly raising funds. This ship consumes huge amounts of diesel and then the maintenance and repair. People can be sure that any money they donate will be used directly to [confront] the whalers.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say to the people in Nottingham, some who you know and will be reading this?

Dan: Hello to everyone I know. Take care of yourselves back there. I’m a bit cold and wet, but yeah, safe so far and I’ll see you all in a few weeks.

Q: Well we wish you all the best, you’re doing a great job down there and there are tonnes of people who really support the stuff you’re doing and we all know its very important so keep up the good work!

Dan: Yeah, cheers mate, take care.

Sea Shepherd Aussie Crew Prepared to Be Taken as Prisoners to Japan

Hunt Chaos in Derbyshire

Chaos in Monyash – 01/03/2008

On Saturday the 1st March the High Peak Hunt meet at 11.30am at the Bulls Head Inn at Monyash, Derbyshire.

During the course of the next three hours the huntsman lost control of his pack on numerous occasions. This resulted in them causing chaos on the roads and in the fields around the area.

Chaos in Monyash – 01/03/2008

On Saturday the 1st March the High Peak Hunt meet at 11.30am at the Bulls Head Inn at Monyash, Derbyshire.

During the course of the next three hours the huntsman lost control of his pack on numerous occasions. This resulted in them causing chaos on the roads and in the fields around the area.

The footage below shows one event where the pack can be seen running back and forth across a main road. Also during this clip you can see the pack looking for the scent of a hare they had been chasing, all this without the huntsman in the area.

Sabs where the only ones present where they proceeded to slow down the cars driving along the road, thus preventing any loss of life. They also made sure the hunt did not chase any hares they were after.

30 minutes later the same occurred again, with the same result. This time one of the hounds went astray.

When the hunt finally called it a day they were still missing a hound, which eventually came running down the road to the meet 20 minutes after the huntsman had put away the rest of his pack.

To watch the three and a half minute video clip just follow the link off our front page www.nwhsa.org.uk

How can all this happen if they were ‘following a scent’?

info@nwhsa.org.uk

A Climate Camp visits the Government Office in Leeds

29.2.2008
Residents from flood stricken areas of Yorkshire and Humberside today blockaded the Government Office in Leeds to protest at its continued promotion of airport expansion. Inspired by last year’s camp for climate action at Heathrow, the protestors from Hull, South Yorkshire and the Calder Valley used pop-up tents to set up camp outside the main entrance.

This morning, concerned and moderate local people have blockaded the entrance to their Government Office. Their message; that with its continued support for expansion of air travel in the region, the Government is flying in the face of science.

Residents from flood stricken areas of Yorkshire and Humberside today blockaded the Government Office at 8 City Walk, Leeds to protest at its continued promotion of airport expansion.

The timing of the protest coincided with the final stages in the adoption of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) – the area’s fifteen year development plan which is currently on the desk of government minister Baroness Andrews, awaiting final approval. The plan allows for a threefold expansion of passenger flights from Yorkshire and Humberside. Bizarrely, voices which you might have expected to argue against this madness seem all to eager – Friends of The Earth made a submission to the RSS suggesting that an expansion of air travel was acceptable. (Maybe they should rename themselves Foes of the Earth?)

Government transport policies were singled out for criticisim by the plan’s Sustainability Appraisal, which commented that any positive impacts of proposed changes to the RSS might not be able to counter wider negative trends.

The protestors made a formal presentation of a scientific briefing for consideration by Baroness Andrews and issued the following statement::-

“We are continually bombarded with messages asking us to “do our bit”, but this should go for government too. It is shameful that their policy to expand aviation and unsustainable economic development is totally at odds with their stated policy to reduce CO2 emissions.

They are flying in the face of science, and undermining any hope of preventing climate change accelerating beyond control. Yorkshire and Humberside will be particularly hard hit, because of our vulnerability to coastal erosion and flooding. This will spell misery for hard working families throughout the region”.

It’s clear that Baroness Andrews needs to instigate a major revision of the regional transport plan element of the RSS to remove the emphasis on airport growth, and to ensure a significant decrease in carbon emissions from our area. A fifteen year plan that ignores its own sustainability appraisal is a bad fifteen year plan, but maybe science and common sense aren’t enough on their own when Government policy is made in the boardrooms of multinationals like BAA?

Limagrain Moves GM Tests To The US due to French ban & decontaminations

FRANCE: February 29, 2008
PARIS – Europe’s largest seed cooperative Limagrain said on Thursday it had moved its research tests into genetically modified (GM) crops to the United States, put off by France’s hostility to GMs and the destruction of test fields.

Chairman Pierre Pagesse said Biogemma, Limagrain’s grain and oilseed research unit, would carry around 1,000 tests on GM crops this year in Illinois, in the US corn belt.

Limagrain has a 70 percent stake in the world’s fourth-largest seed maker Vilmorin.

“We have decided to transfer our tests to the United States this year,” Pagesse told Reuters in an interview at the Paris farm show.

“It is with a heavy heart,” he added. “For the first time we will move outside France and even outside the European Union to carry out our tests and this due to the current situation in our country,” Pagesse said.

While GM crops are common in the United States, France and other European countries are dubious about using the new genetic technology in agriculture.

France decided in December to suspend the cultivation of the sole GM crop grown in the European Union, a maize developed by US biotech giant Monsanto, and notified the European Commission earlier this month that it was extending the ban.

Pagesse said the expatriation of the GM tests to the United States, was also prompted by the repetitive attacks carried out by anti-GM activists on Biogemma’s test fields.

CONTRADICTION

The decision, although not irreversible, will inevitably affect the working of Limagrain, which owns 55 percent of Biogemma and totally relies on the company for its GM research, he said.

“I know that to move the intellectual part of the group is to move the group’s epicentre in time,” he said, stressing that the company had probably waited too long to make the move.

Limagrain would keep doing non-GM tests in France but all biotech research, carried out through Biogemma, would be done in the United States, which in the end could penalise Europe as seeds may not be adapted to European soil and pests, he said.

“The company keeps its knowledge but it’s the French peasants who are going to lose out,” he said.

Pagesse argued there was a contradiction between the French ban on the growing of GM maize and massively importing genetically modified animal feed.

“Either it is bad and we should hurry banning imports or we consider that it’s good for consumers, including through animal feed, then we should let French farmers use the technologies that we think are better adapted,” he said.

A government-appointed committee of scientists, farmers, politicians and non-governmental organisations said in January “serious doubts” remained over whether the MON 810 was safe.

The main worry mentioned in the report, which triggered the government’s decision on the ban, concerned dissemination to other crops and biodiversity, not human health.

Stop Heathrow Expansion: Terminal 5 flashmob

ON THE OPENING DAY OF HEATHROW TERMINAL 5

11am on the dot, Thursday 27 March
International Arrivals (Ground Level), Heathrow Terminal 5

ON THE OPENING DAY OF HEATHROW TERMINAL 5

11am on the dot, Thursday 27 March
International Arrivals (Ground Level), Heathrow Terminal 5

www.stopairportexpansion.org

Be at T5 International Arrivals at 11am to put on (or strip to reveal) your brightly coloured ‘STOP AIRPORT EXPANSION’ t-shirt: a visible presence of public opposition to the madness of airport expansion. Wander round for a bit, have a coffee, leave when you like.

ORDER YOUR FREE T-SHIRT TODAY: stopairportexpansion@gmail.com or 0845 458 2564.

The Government and BAA see the opening day of Terminal Five – the biggest terminal ever built in the UK, and the subject of the longest Public Inquiry in British history – as an opportunity to put the case for further airport expansion. Join the flash mob* on 27 March to highlight the real problems that airport expansion causes: climate change, noise, air pollution and community destruction.

Download the flyer

* Flash Mob: ‘A large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual action for a brief period of time, then quickly disperse’ (Wikipedia).

www.t5flashmob.com

PLEASE NOTE: Almost everything is against the Heathrow byelaws, but wearing a t-shirt is not a crime. So as long as you’re not demonstrating, you’re not breaking the law!

Parliament rooftop protest against Heathrow 3rd runway

27th February 2008

27th February 2008
Climate campaigners hang ‘NO 3rd RUNWAY’ banner before PMQs

Campaigners opposed to Heathrow expansion have scaled the roof of the Houses of Parliament and hung protest banners from the building before Prime Minister’s Questions is due to begin.

The three men and two women from climate action group, Plane Stupid, opened an outside door before walking along the roof and dropping two banners. The non-violent direct action comes on the day a government consultation into Heathrow expansion ends. The protesters are making paper aeroplanes out of confidential Whitehall documents that reveal the process is fixed, and gliding the planes into the MPs’ car park below.

The documents – obtained under the Freedom of Information Act – prove that airport operator BAA wrote parts of the consultation document and that the government has already decided to build a 3rd runway and 6th terminal at the world’s biggest international airport.

One of the banners, facing Parliament Square, brands the House of Commons ‘BAA HQ’ while the other says ‘NO 3rd RUNWAY’. Richard George, 27, from London is on the roof. He said:

I’m standing on the roof of Parliament because the democratic process has been corrupted. The aviation industry has taken full advantage of a weak Prime Minister to get the Heathrow consultation fixed. It doesn’t even consider global warming, despite everything Brown has said about the environment and despite the massive impact that aviation has on the climate.

He continued:

This Prime Minister doesn’t even have the courage to ask Londoners the very simple question, do you want a third runway? Instead his government published a consultation document full of gobbledygook and industry spin. Now the consultation is over we can safely ignore the fixed result and get on with the job of stopping this new runway being built. A huge coalition of local residents, Londoners and environmentalists is coming together, supported by all the major mayoral candidates, to stand against Gordon Brown and say ‘no more’.

BAA and Brown want to see a sixth terminal and third runway built over homes, schools and churches in the villages of Sipson and Harmondsworth. This would increase the number of flights from 480,000 a year to at least 702,000. Two million Londoners face increased levels of noise, while CO2 emissions from the airport would shoot up despite claims by Brown that he’s committed to fighting climate change.

The rooftop occupation comes two days after Greenpeace protesters scaled an Airbus A320 which had just touched down at Heathrow from Manchester.

The protesters have branded Parliament ‘BAA HQ’ because of the extraordinary level of collusion between the aviation industry and government. Secret documents obtained under Freedom of Information legislation reveal the existence of a previously unknown body called the ‘Heathrow Delivery Group’ – comprised of government and BAA officials. The group is charged with getting the new runway through the consultation process and neutralising ‘risks’ to the project such as Londoners who oppose Brown’s aviation policy.

BBC news video 1

BBC news video 2

http://video.publico.es/videos/0/4705/1/recent

15 Actions to Topple the Fossil Fuel Empire

Rising Tide has just finished producing two new resource booklets …

1 – 15 Actions to Topple the Fossil Fuel Empire – perfect to help plan your action for up and coming Fossil Fools Day – more on that at http://risingtide.org.uk/node/241

Rising Tide has just finished producing two new resource booklets …

1 – 15 Actions to Topple the Fossil Fuel Empire – perfect to help plan your action for up and coming Fossil Fools Day – more on that at http://risingtide.org.uk/node/241

2 – Climate Action Popular Education Pack – packed with tools to help you run engaging, interactive workshops on all aspects of climate change for a wide range of people.

Both resources can be downloaded from http://risingtide.org.uk/resources/other

On site reports from the trenches at Rath Lugh

Monday 25th February:
There are fences across the proposed route each side of the Rath Lugh woods. At around 8am this morning a member of the Rath Lugh camp heard machinery passing by the rath. 6 of us went out and saw 2 dump trucks and 2 diggers outside the fence, coming from the Baronstown direction. Each digger was 40 tonnes, and wanted to drive though at the same time! A large crowd of SIAC, Ferrovial and Wills Bros workers were present, 2 members of the Garda Siochana were also present, both in incomplete uniforms; they didn’t wear hats, one of them wasn’t displaying his ID number on his shoulder. We explained no machinery would be passing by Rath Lugh, that the area is preserved and it is a criminal offence to interfere with or damage a national monument. The weight and vibrations of the machinery will affect the monument on the esker, and so endanger all of Rath Lugh. The workers took absolutely no heed of anything we told them.

Protesters climbed onto the machinery to peacefully blockade their path. The rest of us stood in front of the machines. The Gardai took our names and addresses. acThe protesters on the machinery climbed off the machines, because one construction worker tried to forcably pull a male protester off the digger. The female protester was walking towards the Rath, when she was manhandled by the Garda with no hat, car or ID number on his shoulder. The Gardai didn’t give her a caution but arrested her straight away. He handcuffed her and when we questioned him, he mentioned OPERATION BEDROCK. He then attempted to drag her to Mark Cleary’s jeep, as there was no squad car to be seen. We immediately objected to this illegal arrest, but the Gardai kept pulling her, even through she was visibly upset. There were no female Gardai present, we expressed our concerns about a young female being taken off site by 2 extremely unprofessional Gardai and driven off in a violent man’s jeep (Mark Cleary’s. Photos of this man can be seen on this site, or Indymedia.ie, his drives a white jeep and his registration plate is 07 D 60531).

The Gardai finally seemed to understand our worries about this illegal arrest, and decided to walk her off the site and take her to Navan Garda Station in their squad car, which for some unknown reason was parked down the route near Baronstown. I walked with the female protester and the 2 Gardai towards Baronstown. She was handcuffed behind her back, and when the wind was blowing dust in her eyes, they wouldn’t free her so she could wipe the dust out. It’s worth noting that this site has had its topsoil removed and is compacted earth with lime to dry out the ground. They joked rather insensitively I should wipe her eyes instead! When I asked the Garda with no ID why he mentioned OPERATION BEDROCK, he refused to comment. Finally we arrived at their squad car, but a Paddy Wagon was there, and around 8 men in plain clothes wearing Garda Siochana wind cheater jackets. When I asked them why they weren’t in full uniform they explained they were plain clothes Gardai. I again expressed my concerns about this dodgy crowd taking one of our young female protesters away, and requested I come with her, for her own health and safety. They refused immediately, one Bean Garda was extremely snappy, explaining the female protester would be safe with her. I said this was exactly what I was worried about and asked would they handcuff me so I could accompany my colleage. The same Bean Garda said I have often made my own way to Navan in the past when needed be. The Garda didn’t uncuff my colleage in the back of the car, so when they braked suddenly she hurt her back and now needs medical attention.

We made our way back to the front line at Rath Lugh and were about to head into the Garda Station in Navan when we got an urgent phone call from the front line. A dozer was at the left fence, coming from Baronstown direction. A smaller digger was working on a spoil heap a few feet away from the esker. We immediately blockaded the machinery peacefully to prevent them working. All of the SIAC, Ferrovial and Wills Bros were sitting in their jeeps as it was hailstoning and extremely windy. A Garda jeep approached from Lismullen, with the same 2 Gardai who arrested my colleage an hour earlier. The bald Garda without his ID number earlier now had his ID displayed, obviously he realised he made an illegal arrest earlier. We handed them the Rath Lugh Preservation Order, which they accepted. The Garda who displayed his ID number explained the dozer would be passing throught to Lismullen, but he was stopping the digger from working until the matter of the Preservation Order is clearer. We blocked the esker from being harmed as the dozer passed by s to the Lismullen site. When asked about the plain clothes Gardai, the Garda denied their existence. When I reminded hiym I spoke to the plain clothes Gardai myself, he corrected himself. He said they were on standby. On standby for what we asked, explaining our own health and safety is of paramount importance. He refused to comment further.

6 construction workers approached the front line bender, took measurements around the perimeter fence of the bender, using surveying equipment. Construction workers in jeeps attempted to drive past Rath Lugh again from Baronstown to Lismullen, but the Gardai refused them permission, until the Preservation Order matter is clearer.

I am now on going to bring the female protester who got released to hospital for medical attention.

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Update lunchtime:

Situation Critical as more machinery is arriving. 4 machines were allowed pass Rath Lugh in single file earlier en route to Lismullin. They have chosen this route to enter onto the Henge. Now 3 machines are stationed at Rath Lugh threatening to begin work in that area. There has been no reply from Gormley’s office despite several requests this morning in regard to the Temporary Preservation Order and for confirmation of the boundaries of same ,which seem now to be unclear.

Please support , BE PRESENT, contact all interested bodies, make complaints, spread the word, do what you can but do it Now!

The female Protector has been released. No details of charges yet.

Rath Lugh Camp Phone : 0861537146

Vigil Camp Phone: 0861758557

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Video of Standoff at Rathlugh today and the arrest of a protestor.

Paddy´s Day of Action Against Shell

This year´s St Paddy´s day, 17th March, has been called as an International day of action against shell, in solidarity with the people of Rossport.

People from all over Ireland are set to join forces and show their united strength by going all the way to London to demonstrate on shell´s front door step.

This year´s St Paddy´s day, 17th March, has been called as an International day of action against shell, in solidarity with the people of Rossport.

People from all over Ireland are set to join forces and show their united strength by going all the way to London to demonstrate on shell´s front door step.

Gluaiseacht, the Irish environmental network organising the trip, are calling for people to join them at the shell head office in London, or there is also a call out to take solidarity actions at shell garages and offices, St Paddy´s day parades and Irish embassies all over the world to coincide with the visit from 15th-17th March.

The shell centre is located on the South Bank in front of Jubilee Gardens (SE1)
right next to Waterloo train station and across from the London Eye.

What´s Wrong With shell? – The Corrib Pipeline Project

Since 2000 the small rural community of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland have been engaged in an epic battle trying to prevent Shell, Statoil, and Marathon from building a potentially devastating toxic onshore gas refinery and high pressure pipeline in their remote and environmentally sensitive region.

Shell are the biggest stakeholder and beneficiary of the project, so have therefore been the main target of protest.

Community Strength

From the summer of 2005 mass pickets shut down the refinery construction site after five Rossport residents were imprisoned for refusing to allow Shell’s
sub-contractors access to their and their neighbours’ small farms which the pipeline is to go through. But in October 2006 the Irish state came to the aid of shell by bringing in a massive two hundred strong police unit to physically force a path for Shell to commence work. A large police presence, consisting of Gardai (Irish police) from all over Ireland, has stayed at the site to aid the work to continue undisrupted.

The costs to the Environment, Community & Health

Since shell started building the refinery, Carrowmore Lake, which is a Special Area of Conservation as well as the local water supply to 10,000 people, has been polluted with dangerously high levels of aluminium coming from the building site.

The gas pipeline is to operate at such high pressure that according to the
government’s safety study if ruptured could potentially kill people and destroy buildings for hundreds of metres around.

The waste from the refinery is to be dumped into Broadhaven bay, where 220 sightings of seven whale and dolphin species, plus sightings of two seal species have been recorded.

This is all not to mention the irreparable damage fossil fuels, like gas, are having on destabilising the global climate.

Although the resistance to shell in County Mayo is strong, the Irish state & shell´s tactics of brutality, repression and intimidation has paid a price on the people fighting the pipeline project.

So mark St Paddy´s day by showing solidarity with their fight!

For more info:

http://www.indymedia.ie/mayo – Reports of news and actions about the pipeline
http://www.struggle.ws/rsc – Rossport Solidarity Camp setup to aid the campaign against shell
http://www.corribsos.com – Campaign group Shell to Sea

http://gluaiseacht.nologic.org/wordpress – Gluaiseacht website

Manchester Critical Mass and after party!!!

Critical Mass Bicycle Ride
Friday 29th February
6pm Central Library M1
Bike ride around the city to celebrate the bicycle

7.30pm-Midnight Cafe Saki (opp EBC)
with…
GO LEBANON!
BLACK VELVET BAND

Critical Mass Bicycle Ride
Friday 29th February
6pm Central Library M1
Bike ride around the city to celebrate the bicycle

7.30pm-Midnight Cafe Saki (opp EBC)
with…
GO LEBANON!
BLACK VELVET BAND
CLEG
and DJ’s playing a
mixture of ska, reggae, punk, disco.

FREE
(Donations to I Bike MCR
Festival appreciated)