North Korea Increases Aid to Russia, Mos... Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
Trump Assembles a War Cabinet Sat Nov 16, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
Slavgrinder Ramps Up Into Overdrive Tue Nov 12, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
?Existential? Culling to Continue on Com... Mon Nov 11, 2024 10:28 | Marko Marjanovi?
US to Deploy Military Contractors to Ukr... Sun Nov 10, 2024 02:37 | Field Empty
Anti-Empire >>
Parse failure for http://humanrights.ie/feed/.
Last Retry Thursday September 18, 2025 06:36
News Round-Up Thu Sep 18, 2025 01:08 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Furious Tory Row Breaks Out at State Visit Reception as Boris Defends Record in Government Wed Sep 17, 2025 19:30 | Will Jones
A furious Tory row broke out at a state visit reception on Tuesday night as Boris Johnson defended his record in government before a gathering of senior Conservative and Reform figures.
The post Furious Tory Row Breaks Out at State Visit Reception as Boris Defends Record in Government appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Trump?s Genius is He Understands There Are No Ordinary People Wed Sep 17, 2025 17:52 | Joanna Gray
Donald Trump's genius is that he understands there are no ordinary people, says Joanna Gray. British politicians would do well to copy his refusal to talk down to the public.
The post Trump’s Genius is He Understands There Are No Ordinary People appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Activists Circulate Guide on How to Ground ?One In, One Out? Flights Wed Sep 17, 2025 15:42 | Will Jones
Pro-migrant campaigners have circulated a guide on how to ground 'one in, one out' flights, telling activists how to contact Air France and prevent the planes from taking off.
The post Activists Circulate Guide on How to Ground ‘One In, One Out’ Flights appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Starmer Faces Disaster in Wales as Poll Shows Labour in Freefall Behind Reform and Set to Lose First... Wed Sep 17, 2025 13:56 | Will Jones
Keir Starmer?is facing a disaster in Wales as a poll shows Labour in freefall behind Reform and set to lose the First Minister post for the first time since devolution.
The post Starmer Faces Disaster in Wales as Poll Shows Labour in Freefall Behind Reform and Set to Lose First Minister Post for First Time appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Will intergovernmental institutions withstand the end of the "American Empire"?,... Sat Apr 05, 2025 07:15 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?127 Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:38 | en
Disintegration of Western democracy begins in France Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:00 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?126 Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:39 | en
The International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism by Amichai Chikli and Na... Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:31 | en
Voltaire Network >>
mayo |
environment |
news report
Friday September 24, 2010 15:24
by RSC
printable version
Digg this
del.icio.us
Furl
Reddit
Technorati
Facebook
Gab
Twitter
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (1 of 1)
Jump To Comment: 1A 19 hour peaceful occupation of one of Shell's drilling platforms in Sruwaddacon Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) was brought to an end this morning when Gardaí pulled campaigners down from their perches on the legs of the platform using considerable force and at a great safety risk.
The protest commenced on Wednesday at 12:30pm when three Shell to Sea campaigners boarded one of Shell's drilling platforms in the estuary along the proposed route for the Corrib gas pipeline. The planning application for this tunnel route under the estuary is currently under examination in an An Bord Pleanála oral hearing that has been ongoing since 24th August, closing submissions for which will be made this week. This occupation is the second time in three days that campaigners have halted Shell from continuing their investigative drilling in the SAC. Monday also saw a successful 12 hour occupation of a drill on Shell's platform.1 On Wednesday the protesters climbed up the legs of the platform to prevent it from moving to a new position in the estuary.
The protesters were ready to stay for awhile with plenty of food, water, and even a hammock. All three stayed in their positions from midday Wednesday through the night despite the rain, with a support team camping out onshore to keep an eye on them. At about 7am, just as it started to get light, one of the protesters came down voluntarily, but the other two remained in their positions. The Garda water unit issued section 8 warnings to the remaining two protesters and when that didn't persuade them down the Gardaí boarded the drill rig and climbed down from the top of the platform to where the protesters were situated. One protester had tied himself to the leg with rope, and a Garda climbed out to him with a commando knife and no harness or support gear to hold himself up. He slashed through the ropes, pulled at the person and elbowed him in the head.
After watching from the shore, Brian Loftus a member of the Rossport Solidarity Camp stated “Luckily no one was seriously hurt this morning, but it could have been much worse. After the protesters were removed from the legs, the Garda with the knife fell off the platform and into the water. It is unbelievable that the Garda water unit would be that reckless with their own safety and ours.”
Both campaigners who were forcibly removed were brought to Belmullet Garda station but were released without charges.
Photos are from the initial platform occupation. Some video of the occupation removal by the Gardaí will follow shortly.
Climbing up the rig initally
How could one Garda remove this protestor safely against his will?