A-Infos (en) Ireland, Cops assault locals, activists and anarchists at Rossport anti-Shell protest

Articles from the Workers Solidarity Movement on Nov 10th attack
November 10th saw the Gardai assault numerous protesters at Rossport in Co. 
Mayo. The local community have been engaged in a long running campaign against 
Shell and Statoil who are trying to impose a dangerous experimental gas pipeline 
on them. The articles here are from the WSM about the events of Nov 10th.
College of Rossport images from indymedia.ie, James is on bottom right
Eyewitness to Gardai attacks in Rossport 10 Nov. This is the account of James - 
a WSM member from Cork - of what happened to him at the November 10th day of 
action in Rossport. James was the person with the bloody face (above) whose 
image was featured on indymedia and the TV3 footage of the event.

This is a personal account of what I saw going on.

I arrived in late Thursday night shagged as it's a long haul from Cork. 
Presented with the various plans I decided in the morning to go to Ballinaboy. 
In hindsight I might say it might have been of more value going to one of the 
quarries but there was not sufficient time to assess this on the Thursday night.

I arrived at Ballinaboy at 6am. There was no one there but us. As soon as we 
arrived Gardai are deployed blocking the junction keeping us from the Bangor 
road and the site road. As morning wore on numbers increased on both sides.

It was still dark and a number of us worked our way through woods and bog to get 
to the Bangor road. As soon as I walked onto the road I was grabbed by Gardai 
and lifted back to the line and dumped on the ground. I immediately set off 
through wods again. I crossed the road and had an argument with the Gardai who 
attempted to push me down the road.

I climbed into a field and used the private property protection(shame shame). I 
crossed river and hung around the bridge trying to link up with others. 
Eventually the convoy came . Gardai ran into the bog an brought me down. One 
Garda RG25 punched me in my stomach whilst I was laying on the ground. I was 
then thrown into the back of a Garda van and driven back to the junction.

Here the drama was unfolding. Garda lines had been breached and two blocks of 
protestors now existed - one group blocking the road to Ballinaboy and another 
held by Gardai at the junction. Many activists were floating around the blocked 
convoy of workers and the trucks. A number of us got around Garda lines and 
joined the group blocking the road. The Gardai were attempting to weaken the 
group by selective snatching of people. But people kept strong and once we were 
dragged away we went around the lines and rejoined that group. I was dragged 
away but got back again.

An ambulance arrived for Eddie Collins who had a serious back injury from Garda 
violence. Gardai attempted to rush in after the ambulance in breach of an 
agreement. Senior Garda warned us to clear the road or face batons. Protestors 
were non plussed.

Gardai were ordered to draw batons. Some reluctant, some enthusiastic, some 
scared, some didn't. They advanced on crowd and began hitting people. I was hit 
twice in the leg by O'Reilly and went down and was then dragged away. I was 
pushed off the road as the convey sped through the breach. See an opportunity I 
climbed onto a stalled lorry.

On top I could see protestors had occupied the tops of several lorries. O'Reilly 
directed the lorry forward but the driver hesitated. O'Reilly demanded Gardai 
get up on the lorry, there was a marked reluctance. He came up himself and I 
jumped into the back of the truck where I lay down. I was knealt on and struck 
with his baton and my arm was twisted until I relented and was lifted off by him 
and a uniformed Grada who finally got on board. When I was again thrown back 
through the lines my face was bloodied from being forced into the rocks in the 
back of the lorry by O'Reilly. They were slowly clearing the other lorries and 
eventually the convoy got through in full.

I noticed a bus that had a full contingent of riot police, fully tooled up on 
board. These were stuck behind the lines of protestors who had not managed to 
push through, mostly elderly and children. Thus rendering their use difficult PR 
wise.

In my opinion the Garda violence was pre planned and politically directed, both 
Michael McDowells and Bertie Aherns statements were clearly pre prepared. What 
was most uplifting about the day was how unbowed, angry and determined the 
locals were. There was a high level of self discipline, thus the fact that the 
photos and footage show just Garda violence and no retaliation. More people are 
needed to make these actions more effective, and more varied tactics. But we 
have proved that the state has to go to great extremes to maintain this show.

Other reports on this day
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79592
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79603
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79676
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79623

End the Siege- Shell to Sea Solidarity Day at Bellanaboy
6.30AM Friday November 24 2006
See http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79661 for more
WSM Statement on last Friday's day of action reacting to State Brutality
Last Friday's events in Rossport were a clear example of the brutality of the 
state; non-violent protesters were viciously assaulted with fists, boots and 
batons. It is important to remember however, that these events are part of the 
same logic that saw five men imprisoned for 92 days last year for refusing to 
allow Shell to construct a dangerous pipeline through their land.

Since the very beginning of this project the State has shown itself more than 
willing to act as enforcers for big business. As Bertie Ahern said, 'the rule of 
law must be respected', yesterday's events and the past years of struggle in 
Rossport prove that the rule of law is the rule of big business. While no extra 
gardai can be found to protect the people of Moyross in Limerick or other 
working class areas, the state can afford to spend millions deploying over 200 
gardai to Mayo indefinitely.

The police and the politicians have shown what side they are on, it now remains 
for us, the ordinary people of Ireland to show what side we are on. We can 
support the people of Rossport by participating in local Shell to Sea groups, by 
supporting the blockades at Bellanaboy and by picketing local Shell and Statoil 
petrol stations. We should argue in our unions, through section, branch, 
conference and Trades Council motions, for the blacking of all work related to 
the Corrib Project. Let's shut them down.
--------------------------

PDF posters

We have produced two posters expressing solidaity with the community struggle in 
Rossport and opposition of state suppression of that poster. You can download 
the PDF files of the posters and print out and distribute as many as you like. 
Comrades outside Ireland might like to place these any place where Irish migrant 
workers hang out.

Poster 1 "Free Rossport' is at http://www.struggle.ws/elsewhere/rossport1.pdf

Poster 2 'End the Gardai occupation of Rossport' is at 
http://www.struggle.ws/elsewhere/rossport2.pdf
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