A-Infos (en) Ireland, Anarchist journal, Workers Solidarity #94 - Rossport: In Defiance of the State

The month of October saw the community of Rossport occupied by the 
Gardai Siochana. This occupation is the State response to a community 
trying to protect themselves against Shell: a multinational with a track 
record for maltreating communities which they operate in.

In Erris the State coldly laid its relationship to big business bare for 
all to see. The police came in with clear orders to brutalise the 
community. The gardai have shown in Donegal and Dublin’s inner city that 
they are more than able for such a task. They have lived up to this 
reputation in Erris.

On the first day in their attempt to break the picket they hospitalised 
a local teenager and broke the finger of Philip McGrath (one of the 
Rossport 5). This was followed up with a campaign of harassment, 
intimidation and provocation.

Local people have been continually photographed, filmed randomly, 
stopped at checkpoints. This campaign increased in its ferocity from 
Monday October 9th. This saw police patrol small villages of less than 
ten houses with riot vans. They parked outside a local primary school, 
where a teacher is involved in the campaign, for two hours.

This accompanied the daily assault of community members as they tried to 
peacefully protest. The media were more than willing to aid the gardai 
when they printed stories claiming that the local community were the 
ones harassing people.

The most interesting aspect of this campaign has been the community 
reaction to it. Many of us imagined we would back down in the face of 
such might against us. However the community has not been intimidated. 
They have turned out day after day to protest or blockade against the 
destruction of their community. Indeed, numbers have increased.

This is not say people don’t have fears but it shows that the power of 
capital and corporations isn’t almighty and through solidarity we can 
help each other overcome their harassment.

The community is now aware of the state’s potential to escalate the 
situation. They have learned this the hard way due to the Erris 
community’s previous isolation from the police. They have learned the 
upper class myth that only troublemakers get hassle from the police is 
untrue. When you interfere, or even threaten to interfere, with the 
status quo - be that to blockade Shell or just question the orders of 
those in power - they will use force, legal or illegal, against you.

At our recent national conference, the Workers Solidarity Movement 
donated €500 to the Rossport Solidarity Camp.
You can donate directly to ‘Rossport Solidarity Camp’ Bank of Ireland 
account 24306733, sort code 90-52-99
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This article is from Workers Solidarity 94 Nov/Dec 2006
Download the PDF file of WS 94 http://struggle.ws/pdfs/ws/ws94.pdf
Read the other articles from WS94 online http://www.wsm.ie/story/1660
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