Shell to Sea Kayaker Arrested and Detained by Shell Security.

mayo | environment | news report

Tuesday June 16, 2009 21:09

by Niall Harnett - Shell to Sea / Rossport Solidarity Camp

“I was jumped upon by 2 security, they caught a hold of me and detained me, and wouldn't say why … that seems to be the law around here.”

A Shell to Sea kayaker who paddled out from the shore near the Rossport Solidarity Camp was arrested and detained by Shell Security personnel at about 5pm today, Tue 16th June.

Two security guards waded into the water, captured the man in his canoe and dragged him to shore and onto the Shell site, where he was forcibly held until Gardaí handcuffed him and detained him in a Garda van.

Despite the fact that the captured man was given no reason for his arrest and detention by either Shell or the Gardai; Garda Sgt. Kieran Lavelle MY2 denied later that the man was arrested at all, but that he was being held 'for his own safety'.

The Shell Causeway at Glengad near the Rossport Solidarity Camp.

Shell to Sea kayakers have been taking to the waters at Glengad for the last number of weeks, in opposition to Shell pipe-laying works. Numerous attempts to board Shell dredgers have achieved some success, which included some digger occupations, suspension of works and numerous arrests and court appearances.

Significant recent developments also include the stealing and slashing of boats and equipment by both Shell security and Gardaí. And … the fact that Shell security personnel appear to have licence to do what they want in Erris, and are being facilitated by the Gardai to use force, criminal damage and violence to protect Shell's interests in Corrib.

When bad weather forced Shell boats and dredgers away from Glengad today, a number of Shell to Sea kayakers took to the water and headed for the Shell stone rubble causeway which provides a platform for diggers to work on channel excavation into the bay. One of the kayakers paddled to a spot where a digger was bucketing sand from the seabed onto the causeway. The digger stopped working as the kayaker treaded water in his vicinity. Then the digger driver began to work again, swinging the bucket dangerously close to the kayaker, and dislodging a huge boulder which almost fell from the causeway on to the kayak. Shell security were heard to shout “Stop, Stop” to the digger driver, who carried on regardless.

Two security men then entered the water and grabbed the kayaker's paddle, caught a hold of him and dragged him in his canoe up on to the causeway. They held him and forced him onto the Shell site where he was later passed into the custody of Gardaí who handcuffed him and detained him in a Garda van.

Neither the Shell security nor the Gardai offered any explanation or reasons for the capture of the man, despite repeated questioning from the Shell to Sea detainee.

Meanwhile, supporters were gathering at the gate of the Shell compound up at the public road and questioning Gardai about the illegal arrest and detention of their friend. Garda Sgt. Kieran Lavelle, MY2, said that he was not being arrested at all but that he was being held for his own safety. The man was released from the Shell compound later with a damaged canoe and half a paddle.

Gardai have been 'instructing' kayakers to leave the waters at Glengad for a number of weeks now, 'for their own safety'. At the same time as they have been giving these 'orders', the Gardaí have joined forces with the Shell security and have been stealing and breaking their paddles, capsizing and slashing their boats and threatening and using violence, as usual, to arrest any individual with a will to lay their bodies on the line for this community, its environment and the protection of Ireland's natural resources.

Meanwhile, in England, Shell to Sea supporters gathered at the Van Oord offices at Lockside Place, Mill Lane, Newbury RG14 5QS Berks to demanding that Van Oord immediately stop all work on the controversial, Shell led, Corrib Gas project in County Mayo.

Protester, Sarah Jones said, “Van Oord’s continued participation in Shell’s project shows a complete disregard for the principle of corporate responsibility. They have allowed Shell security to attack protesters on their vessels; they are condoning the use of extreme violence against ordinary people opposed to a dangerous development. We are here to demand that they stop work immediately.”

Caption: Video Id: uh6FsYB9RSQ Type: Youtube Video
Shell to Sea Kayaker Arrested and Detained by Shell Security.

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Comments (8 of 8)

Fightin' the Galway Grey Brigade

by Oul' Man Shantalla

Thu Jun 18, 2009 18:56

Tiny tokens of solidarity on the Galway streets, more to come...

To "observer" at Wed Jun 17, 2009 14:48

by Seamuseen

Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:50

"The Aarhus Convention ratification is due for the Autumn too ..."

Allowing for Article 29.5.1 of our Constitution, why has ratification of the UN Aarhus Convention Agreement not happened years ago in the Republic of Ireland?

Do you know?

Does anybody know?

Whoever is responsible for the so far completely unexplained "eleven-year-plus-delay" relating to this particular issue has an awful lot of answering to do to the People of the Republic of Ireland?

Aarhus Convention (Republic of Ireland):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Aarhus+Convention+...&aqi=

dear observer

by cable - Shell to Sea ~ Cambridge

Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:00

Get your evidence together and send it to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, 'Frontline Defenders', and Irish Human Rights Commission and any other body with a brief for human rights or environment as soon as you can. There's a real danger that someone will be killed or maimed by Gardaí or Shell's unleashed goons.

read it and weep

by observer 2

Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:50

"Observer" have you only started reading Indymedia? UN Human Rights Conventions,EU directives dosent mean a thing here i Ireland.
Gather all you like it wont be worth a dam sadly. What action do you propose takeing with this evedence?

Human Rights Detail of Shell surveillance activities.

by observer

Wed Jun 17, 2009 14:48

I am gathering the reports such as above. Very detailed accounts are necessary and make up an archive for later. There is a current Bill going through the Dail in relation to the Criminal Law as it relates to surveillance. Very strict guidelines on who has a legal right to video and why, where the information videoed is kept and for how long and how it is to be disposed of. It becomes a matter for data protection at a certain point. From a human rights perspective which underlies the thinking of the Bill, the privacy of the person in public places is related to the dignity of the person, the cornerstone of all UN Human Rights Conventions. Has the Private Security Industry such rights and if so ask to see its legal guidelines. Record time and place of all videoing and possible purpose and time length for future reference. The Bill may well become an Act before the Autumn - it is at fourth of five Stages. The Aarhus Convention ratification is due for the Autumn too and is presently at the question of the Foreshore Licence with the Ministry of Agrticulture in relation to fishing.

the only law in ireland is Fianna Fail law

by old codger - pensioner

Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:02

The fact that it does not matter who gets hurt or even loses their life, fianna fail know that niether they , the security company or the gardai ,will ever have to answer for any crimes commited in this state. ==why== because they have the judiciary under their control , just as they have the gardai and irms.
The solitaire should be warned that the situation in erris is now totally out of controll and as the gardai keep telling the public that the ira is leading the protesters there is a danger that if they come into the bay they may never leave it.

civil suit

by smiles indeed

Wed Jun 17, 2009 01:46

False imprisonment, illegally detained, hope there is more video footage .I see the security man has it all recorded , that evidence should be gathered by the Garda after the victim makes a complaint . I would be disappointed if i were the kayak`er and NOT arrested ...it would be worth more in my civil suit.

Happy ending

by Biker

Tue Jun 16, 2009 21:40

It will be a happy ending when Shell and their mercenaries, uniformed and otherwise, leave the area never to return.

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Shell to Sea Kayaker Arrested and Detained by Shell Security.

Comments (8 of 8)