Protest at Shell H.Q. in London

mayo | environment | news report

Saturday August 06, 2005 16:43

by Joseph Healy - London Irish Green Group

Protest on 4th of August outside the headquarters of Shell Petroleum at York Road in London.

Members of the London Irish Green Group, together with Green Party
members from across London and Bedfordshire, held a protest today outside
the headquarters of Shell Petroleum at York Road in London. The protest
was Shell's activities in the Irish Republic, where a controversial gas
pipeline is being laid across open bogland in County Mayo, bringing gas
ashore from the Corrib gas field further out in the Atlantic Ocean. The
pipeline has been the cause for a campaign by five local farmers from
Rossport ("The Rossport Five") who have been protesting about the safety
aspects of the pipeline, and also the destruction of one of Ireland's
last areas of pristine bogland. The five have been imprisoned
indefinitely and have already been incarcerated for five weeks, when they refused
permission for the potentially dangerous pipeline to be built on their
land.

The five have argued that the gas should be extracted from offshore
platforms and not brought overland. The courts have sided with the
government and Shell. This has led to widespread protests across Ireland and a
boycott of Shell and Statoil (the partner company in the project) by
many in the Irish Republic. The five were recently visited in prison by
two TDs (MPs) from the Irish Green Party, who pledged their support.

The protest in London today was joined by anti-Shell activists, who
have joined the Shell to Sea campaign www.shelltosea.com

Noel Lynch, Chair of the London Irish Green Group, commented: "We are
here as Irish people and members of the Green Party to demonstrate our
solidarity with those who are fighting for justice and fair play in
Ireland and against the actions of the energy multinationals like Shell.
Shell have done similar things in Nigeria, where they have used economic
and political pressure to silence those whose lands are being destroyed
by their actions, and now they are doing something similar in Ireland.
We call upon the Irish government to support the fair and just demands
of the Rossport Five, and for the onshore pipeline to be removed from
County Mayo."

The story will be carried in The Irish World, The Irish Post and South
London Press amongst other publications.

The London Irish Green Group would like to thank Poppy, Pete Murry,
Marc Scheimann, Romane Phoenix (and children) Robert Boucnik and members
of the Shell to Sea campaign.

Joseph Healy
London Irish Green Group