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Human Rights in IrelandIndymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
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Shell to Sea National Demonstration: A Great Spirit Prevails dublin |
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feature
 Monday February 26, 2007 13:18 by Jim&El Bull
Jail the Corrupt Politicians
El Bull says:The march was half way down O'Connell St. by the time I arrived. There were some very pleasant folks at the front the march, who were handing out “brown envelopes”, which summed up very nicely the core of the problem in Co. Mayo – the sell off of our natural resources by corrupt politicians. Wearing entertaining masks and engaging very amicably with all standing by on the footpath, they captured the spirit very well. As it turned out, there was a S2S pamphlet in the envelope, rather than a stash of cash. I also was handed leaflets for Marxism 2007, further S2S info, a flyer on the IAWM demo at the FF ard fheis and a copy of Workers Solidarity – plenty of reading to keep me going, or anyone else on the footpath who was inclined to take whatever literature that was offered. The rest of O’Connell Street was fairly impassive while watching the ensemble go by. There was a group of maybe a dozen or so “rugby balls” went up the centre island of the street – lads with rugby balls, each about the size of a 32” wide screen TV, on their heads. These rugby balls ended up by the Falun Gong stall that was set up in the middle of the centre island, so it was a day of all sorts of interesting stuff going on in town – I should really get in there more often.
Related Links: Review of Our Story · Announcement of National Demonstration · Breaking News of the last Friday's Events (incl. Audio Reports) · Another Report of the Occupation · Photographic Report · Solidarity Action in Scotland last Friday The march took maybe quarter of an hour to pass the spot where I was. I’m not sure how many bodies on the street that translates to. I reckon there were more than 1,000 but less than 10,000 (I know, that’s quite a spread, but I was so content absorbing the atmosphere that I didn’t put much effort into doing a headcount.The Gardaí were numerous, but well behaved. There were a few dozen flanking the march, as well as a handful along each of the side streets approaching O’Connell St. (or at least those that I travelled). The Garda helicopter was buzzing overhead and there were plenty of vehicles (bikes, jeeps, unmarked cars) on O’Connell St. & in vicinity.
The crowd was in good form and undeterred by the shower that was falling. It all seemed just fine, so out I stepped onto O’Connell St. to add my presence to the dissenters.
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30Diverse turnout from lots of groups
Cllr. Eamon Tuffy - Labour Party
Mick O Reilly ATGWU
Joe Higgins T.D. - Socialist Party
Micheal O Seighin
Daithi Doolan Sinn Fein
Great protest
Sound system
Tea and Sandwiches
The march was half way down O'Connell St. by the time I arrived. There were some very pleasant folks at the front the march, who were handing out “brown envelopes”, which summed up very nicely the core of the problem in Co. Mayo – the sell off of our natural resources by corrupt politicians. Wearing entertaining masks and engaging very amicably with all standing by on the footpath, they captured the spirit very well.
As it turned out, there was a S2S pamphlet in the envelope, rather than a stash of cash. I also was handed leaflets for Marxism 2007, further S2S info, a flyer on the IAWM demo at the FF ard fheis and a copy of Workers Solidarity – plenty of reading to keep me going, or anyone else on the footpath who was inclined to take whatever literature that was offered. The rest of O’Connell Street was fairly impassive while watching the ensemble go by. There was a group of maybe a dozen or so “rugby balls” went up the centre island of the street – lads with rugby balls, each about the size of a 32” wide screen TV, on their heads. These rugby balls ended up by the Falun Gong stall that was set up in the middle of the centre island, so it was a day of all sorts of interesting stuff going on in town – I should really get in there more often.
The march took maybe quarter of an hour to pass the spot where I was. I’m not sure how many bodies on the street that translates to. I reckon there were more than 1,000 but less than 10,000 (I know, that’s quite a spread, but I was so content absorbing the atmosphere that I didn’t put much effort into doing a headcount.
The Gardaí were numerous, but well behaved. There were a few dozen flanking the march, as well as a handful along each of the side streets approaching O’Connell St. (or at least those that I travelled). The Garda helicopter was buzzing overhead and there were plenty of vehicles (bikes, jeeps, unmarked cars) on O’Connell St. & in vicinity.
The crowd was in good form and undeterred by the shower that was falling. It all seemed just fine, so out I stepped onto O’Connell St. to add my presence to the dissenters.
Sell-off, the irish political class are so degenerate that they don't even ask for bribes, they fall over backwards to
give the resources away wholesale. That is why it is so important to make sure sure that the debate/struggle
is not narrowed to whether the exploitation of this resoure is on-shore or off-shore and is broadened to
pose the question who owns these natural resurces, by what means are they developed and who benefits from
their development.
Congrats to all those who participated in the recent action in Mayo, the indymedia coverage was top class too.
International Fact Finding Delegation to Investigate Human Rights Case in
County Mayo Regarding Controversial Shell Refinery/Pipeline Project
Public Hearing Scheduled to Hear Community Evidence of Police Brutality,
Shell and Government Actions - Monday, February 26, 2007 - 6-9 PM
Glenamoy Community Hall
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81191
Not such a bad turn out after all...
Protest and survive
The S2S stall took lots of names and sold a few badges
Paula gets a taste of her own medicine
When are the bloody speeches gonna start?
Julian Cope fans don't like Shell either
And well done Dublin S2S for the sangwidges and tea...
The bloke in the hat is planning a mass trespass of the Teachers' Club
The Corrupt Politicians' Bloc prepares for the demo with a group hug
Another reason why Shell should get the fuck to Sea
Look, it transpires your march has been infiltrated by members of Sinn Féin...
Marching up and down O'Connell Street is all well and good but I don't reckon it'll get us anywhere. The state would certainly prefer that we confine our efforts to the capital.
Time to get back to Erris...
What do they do with all the footage they have of Terence?
The Corrupt Politicians' Bloc takes a well deserved rest
This is the essential message, although when you consider the other gas fields out there, the figure's probably much higher
That'd be those anarchists, taking over the campaign again
.
'There were some very pleasant folks at the front the march'
You are Joking right?The people holding the pipeline and shouting at the rugby goers? !
I was outside the Gresham went it passed and the four people at the front were just shouting abuse at some rugby reveller beside us. So much so that everyone thought it was the sinn fein march against the playing of the national anthem in croke park.
It seemed like a good turn out and It was a great idea to hold it on the rugby weekend as while people were confused about what the march was about many of them picked up the leaflets. Just get rid of those pipeline carrying crazy people at the front of the march as they gave a really bad impression of the shell to sea campaign.
"the four people at the front were just shouting abuse at some rugby reveller beside us"
Dont want to start an argument, but outside the gresham, some random rugby supporter just started hurling abuse at 'Michael McDowell', one of the pipe-line carriers.
Whether light-heartedly or not, it wasnt too clear but nevertheless, the abuse was not reciprocated.
As if poor Michael would like to cause any more aggro...
All in all a good day out in Dublin for the campaign, and it puts an end-wrap on a most significant ten days for the campaign. There is momentum returning to Shell to Sea and it is important that we keep up the pressure on Shell and the government, and keep active in Mayo. What has been gained over the last ten days could easily be squandered if the campaign allows its character and conduct to be modified in the pursuit of such irrelevant distractions as general elections. Au contraire! The middle of an election campaign is the the perfect time to be obstreporous, bold and busy! Dublin events cool but more Mayo fun please! And soon!
One man's verdict on the political establishment (FF wing)
Clowns Against Unsafe Thieving Gas Projects!
DCTU banner with added smiling protestor
There's paranoia in the air! Spotted over us in central Dublin.
Are they sure they've got the right demonstration?
Here's a few more pics from the march..
One protestor's view of life in a 'rich' country
Coming back over O'Connell Bridge.
Hey garda read this!
An uncompromising message from the heart of the crowd.
Mícheál Ó Seighin and Mick O'Reilly watch on while Joe Higgins gives it yards on the stump.
More photos from the march ...
Start of the March
Pipeline politicans
Anarchists on the march
Turned out for my first time at a shellsosea demo. Took this photo of a cop who was videoing me.
Watching me watching him watching me..
shell (and allother corporations) who have no respect for the people or nature on our planet have no future at sea on our our land. it's with the development of renewable energy souces that our only chance of a continued existence on this planet lies, shell to sea only puts a miniscule distance between a source of inevitable human and ecological disaster and us. shell to the history books that's what i say, anything else just shops us out........no more fossil fuel exploration
I was standing in under the pillars getting out of the rain during the speeches. There were two well dressed
English rugby gentlemen standing right behind me listening clearly under the impression that this was the RSF anti england demo they had been hearing about on the radio all morning. Jesus they were petrified at what they thought was the depth of ill-feeling about their team in Croke park and when Brid Smith started berating the government for treason one said "treason? facking ell, come on i think its time we got out of here". No shit.
the black and white ones are particularly excellent - well done
kp
The second last image is of Jo Tully a nurse and a member of the Irish Nurses organisation calling on support for impending disputes at Hospitals.
(c)
So S2S
you have walked to and from the bridge in Gleanamoy, you have gathered a small crowd for the day of action in dublin. Yet the construction still goes on. We see pictures of people the movement, the construction still goes on. We hear of a seanate canditate,the construction still goes on.
So many comments on this site yet no one come out from behind the anon comments here to stand upand say lets march to the european court and stop this, the construction still goes on.
The govt are winning here, 600 (rte report)ot the majority of this country not the majority of the county nor the region of that partuicular area (headcount of 300 for the last action at the bridge).
lets express this as a number of the population 4,062,235 people in Irl. on current figures say 100 adding both protests allowing for another 2000 (to be generous) whoe couldnt attend either protest. thats 3000, Thats less than 1% of the population. I think i dont really need to say any more.
I doubt the construction will stop soon....
Hi Morris,
I think your statistics leave a little to be desired.
Let's apply your methodology to the folks who've turned up to support Shell's rape of the Irish people, supported by the Irish Government.
Let's see... Um... Okay - zero marches have been organised to support Shell. Zero people have turned up at marches to support Shell.
So... That's am...
That's 0% of the population supporting Shell, unless you count the Gardaí and the flexible politicians.
So 1%/0% = infinity.
The support behind the Shell to Sea campaign is infinitely greater than the support for Shell.
Morris the figure of 3000 is less than 0.1%
Nash 0.1%/0% = 0.1%.
S2S has a list of people/groups who supports Shell on their website!
http://www.corribsos.com/index.php?id=11&type=page
I see the stirrers are at it again. The fact that they are prepared to comment speaks volumes.
Morris I'm not hiding behind an anonymite nor statistics, nor are I'm gullible, naive or overtly romantic about the present situation.
The fact is that the support for the S2S campaign is growing day by day, roughly 500 - 600 people turned out...... getting to you? I'm not surprised.
yes! by all means lets take this one to the EP, the people in Erris are more than capable of making up their own minds.
I see you are still yet confused and maybe the problem is cognitive--from my calculations 0.1 divided by 0 is not 0.1 it is an undefined number as it is impossible to divide something by nothing.
I find myself wondering if the "Shell to Sea" campaigners have ever lodged a petition with the European Parliament?
If not, it might at this stage be worth considering that one of the fundamental rights of European citizens is as follows:
"Any citizen, acting individually or jointly with others, may at any time exercise his right of petition to the European Parliament under Article 194 of the EC Treaty."
As the subject of "environmental matters" is one of the 7 general categories listed under their petition-eligibility headings on their web site, I believe "Shell to Sea" campaigners would have no difficulty at all in having their case looked at by the European Parliament - provided of course that a formal petition is lodged according to their easy-to-follow procedures. (It is a FREE service incidentally.)
All the necessary information for making such petitions can be found via the following European Parliament web site address:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/parliament/public/staticD...id=49
For anyone interested, an example of a petition sent some years ago to the European Parliament (relating to the protection of ancient heritage sites) can be seen at:
http://www.finnachta.com/EuropeanParliamentPetition.htm
The final response of the European Parliament to the petition at the above address can be found at:
http://www.constitutionofireland.com/EuropeanParliament...3.htm
And, as can be seen at the address just above, the final sentence in the letter from the European Parliament is as follows:
"The planning and design of the project has received support from the European Regional Development Fund. However, it is not expected that the construction of the project will be funded."
This may (I hope) mean the heritage sites in question are now safe, at least for the time being.
Powergen has become the third big energy company to lower its gas and electricity prices for its 6 million residential customers.
The company part of the German energy group Eon said customers will see gas prices fall by 16% while electricity bills will drop by 5%.
As has been pointed out, anyone can take the issue to the european parliament. Either through ways outlined above or by contacting an MEP.
If any contributer to indymedia feels strongly that this should be done, then in my opinion they should do it.
Don't wait for someone else to give you permission. If you want to do something, then do it.
Great to see all that support for s2s - keep it up all over the country - keep telling the people - keep pushing for victory!
We have uploaded a video of the protest at Youtube. It's ten minutes long and contains highlights of the march and some of the speeches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK2L3XWurWI
Yes anyone can take a case to the Petitions Committee. We in Pallaskenry/Kildimo did it last week and they are coming over to look at our situation. Hopefully they will see how the Limerick County Council have tried to steal our Spring Water from us in the dead of night. We do not intend to give up either, so keep up the good fight and keep it peacefull as usual, fair play. God Bless.