18.9.2008
Yesterday afternoon in solidarity with Maura Harrington, Shell to Sea activists occupied the roof of Shell’s offices in belmullet hanging a banner reading: ‘Solitaire Out Now’. They were accompanied by a demo of around 40 people.
At about 4pm, three Shell to Sea activists occupied the roof and dropped a banner reading ‘Solitaire Out Now’. The banner remained there for over an hour and a half, while shell to Sea supporters protested outside the front of the Shell offices. More banners were draped across the entrance area, and when the shell employees left work at 5:30 they were hailed with a chorus of boos from the assembled protestors.
Two of the three Shell to Sea campaigners who had been on the roof were arrested when they descended to the ground. The two arrestees were released quickly afterwards.
Outside the gates of the Shell landfall site compound in Glengad, Maura Harrington’s hunger strike entered its ninth day today. She remains in good spirits, but the strike is slowly exacting its toll. She remains in her car, under the glare of powerful arc lights and with a constant heavy presence of Gardaí nearby. The 24-hour protective vigil of Shell to Sea campaigners continues to watch over her. Maura’s hunger strike will end when the Shell pipe-laying ship the Solitaire leaves Irish territorial waters. The Solitaire remains at anchor in St. John’s Bay, Killybegs, Co. Donegal at the time of writing.