Two protesters stop work at Shell project for 11 hours

TWO protestors managed to stop work at the Corrib Gas project for 11 hours by locking themselves together in front of the gates preventing vehicles from entering the site.

The two men, members of the Rossport Solidarity Camp, bound their arms together with a heavy arm tube. One of them also locked his neck to the gate using a “D-lock” bicycle chain.

Their action started at 7am and only ended shortly after 6pm after they were arrested by gardaí.

Shell confirmed that the latest protest had forced the company to stop operations for the day due to “health and safety” reasons.

Shortly after the men were arrested a lorry tried to leave the scene but was prevented by seven fellow protestors who lay down on the road in its path.

A spokeswoman for the Rossport Solidarity Camp said its members were very pleased that yesterday’s “extremely successful” action had stopped work for the day at the project.

“There has been action everyday since they started work last Monday,” she said, adding that the group would be formulating further protests for today.

Meanwhile, gardaí last night confirmed a superintendent from outside Mayo had been appointed to “establish the full facts” of reports that derogatory remarks had been made by two officers after the arrest of two women during a protest at the pipeline project last Thursday.

The two women had been arrested on public order offences. The remarks were alleged to have been made on a camera, which was taken from the woman. It was left running and was carried in a second patrol car to a local garda station.

Shell has said that when it completes the Corrib gas project, the facility will supply up to 60% of Ireland’s gas needs at peak production, will contribute €3 billion to Ireland’s GDP over its lifecycle and will have created more than 1,000 jobs during the construction phase providing 130 permanent jobs on completion.