Yesterday (27 June) five people were arrested by the Garda as violence was used to break up protests against the continued imposition of an experimental gas pipeline on the community by Shell. In the morning 30 Garda blocked the entrance of Rossport Solidarity Camp and then arrested 2 Shell to Sea campaigners who were trying to access the public road. During these arrests Garda behaviour was described as "very violent" by an eyewitness we talked to.
Yesterday (27 June) five people were arrested by the Garda as violence was used to break up protests against the continued imposition of an experimental gas pipeline on the community by Shell. In the morning 30 Garda blocked the entrance of Rossport Solidarity Camp and then arrested 2 Shell to Sea campaigners who were trying to access the public road. During these arrests Garda behaviour was described as "very violent" by an eyewitness we talked to.
The two Shell to Sea campaingers arrested were taken to Belmullet garda station and when a protest was mounted outside the station a 3rd Shell to Sea Campaigner was arrested there.
Later in the day two more people were arrested while walking on the public road near the Shell compound at Aughoose. There were also attempts to arrest additional people but some of those managed to avoid arrest. Again Garda were described as using violence, at one stage going so far as to try and pepper spray a group playing frisbee!
Of those arrested one was brought to Montjoy jail in Dublin last night and two were held in Castelbar.
Six photos of these arrests were posted the the Rossport Solidaroty Camp Facebook page with the caption below "Garda violence breaks out again in mayo directed by sgt. Butler Gill and Murphy.5 arrests today, 2 are being held till court in Castlebar tomorrow @ 10.30 one has been sent to mountjoy.This was an attempt of retaliation by the garda to break the high spirits at camp. These attempts to wreck the campaign’s collective buzz have resolutely failed and spirits on the camp remain high. Actions and protest against the project will continue, unrestrained and unbroken by the violence and scare tactics of the Gardaí."
The massive protests that occurred in Turkey over the last month started when a small environmental protest was violently attacked by police in Gezi park. Rather than showing this repression state media braodcast cookery programs and a documentary about penguins. What did you see on the TV last night?
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WORDS: Andrew Flood (follow Andrew on Twitter)