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Campaigners show up Shell with solidarity actions

Harry Helios

Climate justice activists shut down a Shell petrol station in north London on 18 February as part of two international days of action against a Shell-led gas pipeline and refinery development in Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland (see previous PNs).
Earlier the same day, a Critical Mass of more than 30 bikes and a mobile sound system rode through Nottingham highlighting the evils of Shell to motorists and passers-by. Hundreds of leaflets were handed out outside a Shell garage, with the entrances and exits blocked for over an hour;
The previous day, a solidarity demo in Liverpool was held, and Shell's Dublin HQ was blockaded by bicycles; Statoil of Norway, another investor in the Rossport project, didn't escape attention, as one of its garages was blockaded in Cork. We were awaiting reports from an action in Sweden as PN went to press.

A carnival vibe

In London, Rising Tide, Rhythms of Resistance and others blockaded the entrance and exit to the Upper Street garage forecourt. Petrol pumps were disabled by "Caution Global Warming" hazard tape, and a banner was hung from the roof of the garage by two climbers reading "Stop Shell Hell in North West Ireland Now!". The station was shut all afternoon, with hundreds of cars and lorries unable to fill up. The carnival vibe was provided by a noisy and righteous samba band, and a huge banner was held across one entrance. There was loads of interest from passers-by, who stopped to look on, dance, and support the action; 2,500 flyers were given out.
After a rousing, all-drumming, all-dancing finale, the up-to-now stand-off-ish police moved in and arrested three people with unnecessary aggression, including the two roof-dwellers. The third person was released without charge shortly after, but the roof-dwellers were bailed to return during March to find out if charges will be brought.

Profit from pain

The international day of action was called to draw attention to the struggle to stop the construction of a gas pipeline and refinery in County Mayo, which would transform a remote conservation area of outstanding natural beauty into an environmental disaster zone with serious public health and safety implications.
    Commenting on the solidarity actions, Mayo campaigner Maura Harrington said, "I would like to salute all those who staged a great protest in solidarity with the people of Rossport/Erris. It means an awful lot to us `at the gates' to know that good people ... are prepared to stand and fight with us."
    Last summer, local residents and activists set up a protest camp in Rossport on the site of the proposed pipeline and prevented construction by shutting down both the pipeline and refinery building sites. Work on the project has still not begun, and the camp is seeking as many people as possible to join them this summer to stop Shell again.
    Previous Shell solidarity actions have made links with the environmental and social struggle against Shell in Nigeria (see PN2467/8-9).
    Royal Dutch Shell set a UK record earlier this month when it confirmed profits of #13bn; increasing demand and the war on Iraq appear to be the forces driving up the cost of crude, resulting in these huge profits for the company.

http://www.struggle.ws/rsc http://www.corribsos.com http://www.londonrisingtide.org.uk

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