Protesters were angered by garda chief’s march ban

WHAT the media appears to have overlooked in its reporting of last Friday’s events in Bellanaboy, Co Mayo, is the fact that a garda superintendent, apparently with the approval of the justice minister, arbitrarily decided to ban a legitimate protest march organised by the Shell to Sea campaign.

On Friday morning those intending to participate in the protest gathered at the assembly point at 7am near Bellanaboy Cross — where people gather every morning for the daily protest march to the Shell site.

However, when people prepared to march on Friday they were faced with a phalanx of gardaí who refused to let anyone pass.