Rest of Europe – Page 27

A week of Hell for Shell

28th August 2010

After Mondays successful action stopping work for 3 hours the camp was inspired and many actions followed.

28th August 2010

After Mondays successful action stopping work for 3 hours the camp was inspired and many actions followed.

Tuesday marked the start of an oral hearing into whether Shell can lay the gas pipe line through the estuary. This gave locals and campers the chance to question Shell and Bord Pleanála about the legality of gas pipe line and other issues surrounding the pipe.
The bore holes that Shell are drilling are to extract information that will determine whether a tunnel can be made for the gas pipe line to run through, however the fact that this information hasn’t been collected yet did not affect Shells application or claim that the pipe line will be completely safe.
This oral hearing combined with an action packed week put pressure on Shell from all directions.

Wednesday saw a group occupy the Shell’s security compound that turned into a picnic and revelations of IRMS reading material (mercenary uk) and eating habits (loads of biscuits).

As Thursday morning broke a group set off towards the sunrise (and the drilling rigs) occupying security and stopping workers from getting onto the platform for over an hour. After the success of this action a community walk out happened later in the day when low tide allowed people to walk out under the platform. Despite people gathering under the platform drilling continued, which is a breach of health and safety rules.

Attempts to stop the platforms being moved on Friday were foiled by over zealous security. Despite many courageous endeavours to climb the legs of the platform security turned violent and many were thrown to the ground.

Beat the Boreholes Campaign continues and we welcome anyone wanting to get involved.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0825/1….html

Tens of thousands of mink released in Greece

“26.08.2010 – Heliodendro, Kastoria (Greece)
One of the biggest greek mink farms has been hit in our first night of action. All the cages imprisoning animals in 37 sheds of the farm were opened and machinery sabotaged.

To let the animals out part of the fence was cut and both gates opened smashing the locks (using the farmer’s tools). Two hours and half of work and we could run away along with thousands of minks (according to media 50.000 were released).

27.08.2010 – Kaloneri, Siatista (Greece)
Another mink farm was our target for a second night of action, this time near the town of Kaloneri, on a road where 10 farms can be easily seen. 8 sheds full of animals had their cages opened in just ten minutes. Before leaving we opened a gate to let the animals run towards freedom (according to media 2.000 were released).

In both cases we had checked carefully the farms to know how to organize a faster and more secure action.
With these actions we decided to hit the fur industry and especially the disgusting ‘fur towns’ of Siatista and Kastoria, plagued with hundreds of fur stores. Liberating animals from cages is a way to put our ideas into practice. We oppose the oppression, exploitation and imprisonment that this civilization has created for any living being, regardless of species, race, gender or sexual preferences.

In these desperate days we still strive for freedom. Eat vegan on the barricades!

A.L.F.”

Greek media has reported that as many as 50,000 mink were released from cages. In an article in the Makedonia newspaper, the president of a Greek fur breeders association said that it was a “black day” for the industry. The owner of one of the targeted farms estimated his losses at 1 million Euros and said that his farm had been ruined.

40 years since Laxá Dam was sabotaged, Iceland

Yesterday, August 25th, 300 people celebrated that 40 years ago, people opposed to the building of dams in Laxá in Mývatnssveit, sabotaged a
smaller dam that had already been built.

The local people had opposed this project through legal means but it did not seem to be working. August 25th 1970, most of them were in a funeral, where the rumour was spread amongst people – the dam was going to be sabotaged. The original plan was to destroy it with tools but shortly after the work started, people realized they would need something stronger. They knew of dynamite, owned by the energy company
Laxávirkjun… so, what a better way to use that dynamite!? “We borrowed it” was the answer of one of the bombers, in the evening news yesterday.

More then 120 people claimed their participation in the sabotage – 65 of them were later sentenced to prison on probation.

Yesterday, a memorial statue was put up by the river, where the dam used to stand. The local church choir sang some songs and speeches were held. The sabotage is remembered as a very important event in Iceland’s history
of nature conservation.

Not everybody agrees with this; Jakob Björnsson, ex-energy director of Iceland, said that the celebration is shameful. Well, fuck him!

Here is a video from the evening news, showing photos from the day of the sabotage: http://dagskra.ruv.is/sjonvarpid/4498095/2010/08/25/14

Shell’s Drilling Work Stopped by Shell to Sea Campaigners in Ireland

Shell’s Survey work was stopped for about three hours on Monday afternoon when people walked out at low tide and got under Shell’s drilling platform. This is a continuation of the ‘Beat the Boreholes’ effort by Shell to Sea and the Rossport Solidarity Camp to get in the way of Shell drilling boreholes in the Sruwaddacon estuary which is a Special Area of Conservation.

At 12:30pm a group of about 15 people managed to get past the 20 or so IRMS Security guarding the platform. The group formed a circle around the drill and stayed until the gardai arrived on scene and used Section 8 and a little bit of force to get people out from under the drill. One person had locked themself onto the drill with a chain, but eventually they were removed by the gardai as well. However work still did not resume because people continued to dash back under the platform for the next couple of hours, often without much resistance from IRMS or the gardai. The gardai did use pressure points and some arm twisting to get two campaigners off of one of the drills at one stage, but no one had any lasting pain or injury.

Overall spirits were high, and about forty campaigners remained either under or around the outside of the platform for the duration of the action. Once the tide came in people were satisfied at having stopped work for three hours, and the campaigners left Shell to continue their dirty work in the beautiful Sruwaddacon estuary.

Beat The Boreholes Continues to Disrupt Shell’s Plans

18th August 2010
Yesterday lunchtime, nine kayakers from Rossport Solidarity Camp, with their team of volunteers and local campaigners in support roles on dry land, successfully interrupted Shell’s borehole survey drilling programme in Sruth Fhada Conn for several hours yesterday.

Opposed by twelve assorted Garda and Shell security boats carrying upwards of sixty personnel, the Shell to Sea kayakers sallied forth determined to stop the progress of drilling in the estuary. In spite of the vast disparity of numbers and disadvantage in vessels, drilling was indeed stopped for some time, at no cost in arrests and without undue risk to the action team. After one of the kayakers had his vessel deliberately capsized by Shell’s IRMS security operatives, he cleverly turned the tables on them by swimming under the drilling platform and clinging on to the bore shaft. It took a combined Garda and Shell/IRMS effort quite a while to remove the intrepid camper from the shaft, and all the time he was there halted drilling in its tracks. The camper was removed from his position only when an IRMS security man dived in to the water to seize him and restrain him in water out of his depth for several minutes before being handed over to Gardaí.

The water-based action continued for over an hour after that, with the kayakers playing a game of ‘cat and mouse’ with the Garda and IRMS ribs, which continued to disrupt the schedule of works on the drilling platforms. For all the time of the action was in progress, the kayakers were watched over from land by Rossport Solidarity Camp volunteers and local campaigners with cameras, video equipment and banners. Also on land there was a cast of supporting villains (alas!), with three Garda minibuses, about ten uniformed cops, Det. Hugh Egan (plus sidekick), and Jim Farrell, operations head of Integrated Risk Management Systems (IRMS).

Several parties of tourists both Irish and international, stopped to watch the action on the estuary waters, and after having the local struggle against Shell explained to them, cheered on the kayakers alongside the gathered local supporters and Solidarity Campers.

All kayakers returned to camp safe and well, with the only equipment loss that of a head-mounted camera stolen by an IRMS security man from one of the kayakers. No arrests happened, and the camper that was taken by the Gardaí was released un-arrested to the camp halfway during the action. All in all, another success for the Beat The Boreholes campaign and a fitting way to mark Niall Harnett’s release from Shell-mandated captivity on Monday.

Neutralisation of GM vines by the Faucheurs Volontaires

15th August 2010
False solutions for false problems – GM vines scythed at INRA (National Institute of the Agricultural Research), Colmar, France by the Faucheurs Volontaires (volunteer GM scythers).

The neutralisation of this crop re-planted in June of this year follows last year’s decontamination of the same trial in September. GM field trials are the first step towards commercialisation, and are useless and unneeded. In 2009 the Strasbourg administrative court banned it.

64 Faucheurs dug up the 70 vines, after cutting their way through the 2m high barbed wire-topped fence, ignoring the motion detectors and CCTV. They then cut the GM plants into pieces with tools, at 5am on Sunday morning. They then held a press conference and waited for the police to arrive. 70 police and gendarmes turned up and encircled them. Once bussed to the cop-shop, other Alsatian farmers held a picnic by the police station in support of those inside, who were released by noon. The police are talking about 1 million Euros worth of damage.

80% of the French public are still opposed to GM, in the fields or on their plates.

http://www.monde-solidaire.org/spip/spip.php?article5389

Drill huggers stop Shell’s drilling work in Rossport, Ireland

13.8.10

13.8.10
Yesterday people from the local community of Pullathomas and Rossport and Solidarity campers lead by the rousing sound of a visiting bagpiper and drummer, returned to one of Shell’s drilling rigs, gaining access at low tide across the exposed sand bars of Sruwaddacon bay. On arriving at the rig a number of people surrounded the drill casing and danced around it before forming a tight huddle to prevent any further work occurring. Meanwhile others held a large banner and occupied the area while children played in the sand.

I-RMS security guards asked the drill huggers to leave the area “for their own safety”, an offer that was politely refused. Around an hour later Gardi arrived and observed while super intendant Diskin had a private chat with I-RMS chief Jim Farrell.

Bizarrely after 30 minutes or so all the Gards left leaving I-RMS in charge of policing the protesters, despite their shocking record of violence towards the local community.

People spent the afternoon occupying the area while chatting, singing, playing music and football.

Around 5 o’clock in the evening when most people had left, with no warning I-RMS men jumped on protesters and forcefully removing them, themselves surrounding the drill. The protesters attempted to reach the drill again but were repeatedly “repelled” by security, at this point the drill started to operate again while protesters and security were close to it. For the next 30 minutes this battle continued in obvious breach of safety regulations putting both workers and protesters at risk.

The day demonstrated yet again that Shell have total disregard not only for environment and local community but also for their own employees.

for more info

www.shelltosea.com, www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org

German anti coal activist goes to jail

A german activist went to jail today for an action against the construction of a coal fired power plant. Two years ago, she took part on a blockade at the construction site of the Vattenfall-coal plant in Hamburg-Moorburg. She refused to pay her penalty. On 13th August, she started her penalty in the Justizvollzugsanstalt Brühl near Karlsruhe.

The action was part of the first german climate camp 2008 in Hamburg. The local government in Hamburg is a coalition between the green and the conservative party. Before the election in 2008, the green party promised to stop the construction of the plant if they join the goverment. After their election into the government, they accepted the coal plant.

http://knast.blogsport.de/

No GMO – Destroyed a transgenic maize field in Italy

From Italy to Cancun – Justice, Dignity, Independence
10 / 8 / 2010

This morning one hundred activists of the Association Ya Basta Italy entered in a illegal field of genetically modified maize in Vivaro (Pordenone province, northeastern Italy). The action started at noon. Activists destroyed two meters tall plants.

Back in April, the farmers and activists of Ya Basta Italy denounced the illegal planting of maize in Vivaro.

The field was placed under seizure, but the ruling still is taking too long for political debates within the government. From below, then came the immediate response concerning the life and the defense of biodiversity, which can not be cowardly dominated by capital and speculation.

In the public statement of Ya Basta activists declared themselves “indigenous communities” and join the fight for justice and dignity for all communities found in Cochabamba during the People’s Assembly in April.

Also, defending the right and desire to leave the hell of transgenic cultures which destroy the planet and poison the Mother Earth and the waters.

The climate changes, the soil dries, water is privatized: enough … to Cancun!

Video and photos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdGLyGveaCo
http://www.globalproject.info/it/in_movimento/No-Ogm-Distrutto-campo-di-mais-transgenico/5543

3 days of action for Beat the Boreholes in Rossport

Shell drilling stopped for an hour and a half

6.08.2010
Rossport Solidarity Campers go out before 7am and successfully prevent workers from accessing the drilling platforms.

Shell drilling stopped for an hour and a half

6.08.2010
Rossport Solidarity Campers go out before 7am and successfully prevent workers from accessing the drilling platforms.

9 Campers wadded and kayaked out to the platforms this morning and halted work for 1 and half hours. IRMS workers eventually secured the area by pushing people away and dragging their kayaks down the estuary. Kayaks were deflated by security and some people were dangerously forced to swim in high currents. There were no arrests.

We really need more people to come and take part in actions over the next two months. Please get in touch if you think you would be able to come down and help stop Shell.

http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org

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Shell drilling stopped for 5 hours – as Beat the Boreholes continues

05.08.2010
Yesterday morning 11 people from Rossport Solidarity Camp waded and kayaked out from the camp to again delay Shell’s survey work in Sruwaddacon Estuary. Overall drilling work was stopped for over 5 hours, with one person climbing up one of the legs of the drilling platforms. Several people also attached themselves to the 2 outer drilling poles which are under the platforms.

The campers went out before 7am to prevent workers getting access to the platform and held the platform for about 4 hours before being removed by IRMS security. Despite only 11 protesters being present, it took 50 IRMS to come before they could secure the area. After about 5 hours the drilling workers got on board and started preparing the drilling operation. Eventually they started drilling at around 1pm, despite the climber still being perched at the side of the platform. They drilled for approximately an hour before the climber came down and swam back to shore.

The drilling platforms are currently in a vital part of the SAC; close to bird feeding and nesting sites. At this time the estuary is also used as a migration route for Atlantic Salmon which are an Annex 1 species (the most protected EU category). They are very vulnerable to suffocation by suspended solids in the water clogging their gills and today we saw evidence of sediment spewing into the estuary from the boreholes. Movement of the platforms will also release suspended solids; endangering the supposedly protected salmon. This directly contravenes the purpose of the SAC which Minister Gormley seems to conveniently forget when it comes to facilitating big business here in Mayo but likes to remind us at other times such as on 2nd August in relation to restricting leisure activities to protect SAC’s, the Minister said;
“Along with other EU States, Ireland has designated certain areas for nature protection and, in those areas, that must be our priority. Many people, indeed, find recreation in the enjoyment of undisturbed nature,” he concluded .
Indeed Gormley, that is what the people of Erris have been saying for 10 years; its time to protect this SAC from Shell!

John Gormley’s recent press release:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Heritage/NationalParksandWildl…n.htm

rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com
http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org, www.shelltosea.com

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Shell disrupted – Beat the Boreholes continues

9.8.2010
Yesterday at about 2.30pm Shell began to lower “Jack – 1” – one of two survey barges currently in Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary SAC (Special Area of Protection) – in order to tug it to another part of the estuary.

The Rossport Solidarity Camp was ready and willing to claim free passage of the public estuary and in the process upset the operation. Over a dozen Shell security boats and two Garda RIBS couldn’t keep the 6 kaykers out, with two of them reaching the moving barge after an hour and a half of chase.

Shell’s jack-up barges are damaging Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary SAC (Special Area of Conservation) by drilling survey boreholes for the proposed Onshore Corrib Gas Pipeline tunnel – the latest route offered by Shell as a means to hook up the refinery to the well. At each new location the barges massive legs are lowered into the estuary crushing life beneath the sand. Estuary water is being used to lubricate the work, and and outfall pipe is discharging it back in to the supposedly protected waters.

The Gardaí seemed happy to let IRMS do as they pleased on the water, with kayakers being unlawfully rammed, grabbed, towed against their will – all on a public waterway. At one stage an IRMS boat stole one kayak from under its owner, capsizing him into the water. The Gardaí issued many Section 8 warning under the public order act (to the kaykers) but no arrests were made, despite one kayaker making it onto the moving rig.

Beat the boreholes continues, now both rigs are in the upper estuary – on the sand at low tide and accessible by walking.

rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com
www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org, www.shelltosea.com