Long term campaign Shell to Sea have climbed, blocked and obstructed their way into 2012, as the Corrib Gas Project in County Mayo, Ireland, continues apace.
For those who may have missed it: The project involves pumping oil from the off-shore Corrib oil field 9 km inland through populated areas to an under-development refinery at Bellanaboy– the homes en route are said to be in the 'killzone' should the pipeline fail. Shell and their bedbuddies the Gardai, haven't been put off by this, nor being fought every step of the way by a relentless campaign from local communities and environmentalists.
January 6th kicked of a new year of resistance as a protest postponed work at Bellanaboy for a couple of hours – repeated the day after. The destruction entered a new stage on 10th January: the diggers moved in to cut down a Coillte plantation in Aughoose. Shell is beginning to clear the 4km stretch between the Aughoose tunnelling compound and the Bellanaboy refinery. The shock move caught activists off guard, but they were able to hotfoot it down to the woodland and get in the way. Although 20 Gardai and 50 private security goons were surrounding the felling area, five protesters broke the line and successfully scaled the trees and diggers.
The next day felling and truck haulage to and from the site were stopped again. A tree felling machine was prevented from reaching its destination by a human road block, before one protester climbed up its arm. The Gardai protester removal team were on dangerous form, axel grinding a D-lock from the neck the activist - just millimetres from her head – before nicking her on descent.
The week beginning the 20th January, a special week-long court hearing is set for 19 campaigners. A call-out has been issued for Friday 13th, the first Day of Solidarity of the year. See www.shelltosea.com.