London Shell Petrol Station Blockaded

international | environment | news report

Saturday February 18, 2006 23:06

by Sky

Today 40 activists from Rising Tide, Rhythms of Resistance and other groups shut down a Shell petrol station in Islington, London in solidarity with the International Day of Action against Shell's onshore pipeline in County Mayo, Ireland.

Shell Petrol Station Blockade

Activists successfully shut down a Shell petrol station and sections of Upper Street in Islington, North London for four hours this afternoon. Two daring climbers scaled onto the garage roof and hung a banner reading Stop Shell Hell in North West Ireland Now, whilst others blockaded the entrance wearing white biohazard suits spelling out Shell Hell. Rythms of Resistance blockaded the other entrance with full blown samba rhythms. The petrol pumps were sealed off with 'caution, global warming' tape and a huge banner was held across one entrance saying Danger, Keep Out, Shell Hell in Operation. There was loads of interest from the public passing by who stopped to look on, dance and support the action. Two and a half thousand leaflets were given out. Along with hundreds of cars who were unable to fill up today, several supermarket lorries turned back in confusion, unable to get their oil fix to deliver the goods on time.

The cops were there with their mobile cctv unit and fit team as usual but kept their distance until the roof dwellers tried to come down. The activists were attempting to protect the climbers as they left the roof, when around forty cops charged around the corner and contained everyone in against the side of the garage. One girl was violently arrested as the cops pushed and shoved people against the wall (but she was later released without charge). People were then contained under section 50 and told to leave but that they would be arrested if they didn't give their names and addresses. Concerned with protecting the climbers on their descent, activists stayed put until they were safely on the ground. Shortly thereafter the two climbers were snatched from the group and nicked. Detainees left one by one after being forced under threat of arrest to give a name and address to the cops and blinded by the police camera for photos.

Earlier today a critical mass of over 30 bikes and a mobile sound system rode through Nottingham highlighting the evils of Shell to motorists and passers by. Hundreds of leaflets were handed out outside of the Shell petrol station forecourt on Woodside road and the A52. The entrances and exits were blocked for over an hour.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333974.html

Yesterday Shell's headquarters in Dublin were blockaded by bicycles and supporters of Rossport's campaign to prevent a dangerous, high-pressure pipeline being built through their community.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333923.html

Below is the Press Release for the London action which was sent out this evening and more information can be found at:

www.londonrisingtide.org.uk
www.corribsos.com
www.shellfacts.com
www.indymedia.ie/mayo
www.struggle.ws/rsc

PRESS RELEASE
Activists Shut Down Shell Hell

Activists shut down a Shell petrol station in North London today as part of an international day of action against a Shell-led gas pipeline and refinery development in County Mayo, Ireland.

The activists blockaded the entrance and exit to the forecourt, disabled the petrol pumps with ‘Caution Global Warming’ hazard tape, and hung a banner from the roof of the garage reading ‘Stop Shell Hell in North West Ireland Now!’ The petrol station was shut all afternoon, and part of Upper Street was closed off to traffic. The carnival-like atmosphere provided by a noisy samba band came to an abrupt halt as police contained the protesters, who were attempting to leave peacefully. Three of the activists were arrested.

The international day of action was called to draw attention to the struggle to stop the construction of a gas pipeline and refinery in County Mayo, which would transform a remote conservation area of outstanding natural beauty into an environmental disaster zone with serious public health and safety implications.

The pipeline and refinery will poison the area, threatening the safety of the residents who live just metres away, endangering the marine environment and destroying livelihoods based on fishing. Shell’s plans are fully backed by the Irish State, which used compulsory acquisition orders to give Shell access to local people's lands.
(www.londonrisingtide.org.uk, www.corribsos.com)

Local residents and people from across Ireland are fighting back, and in 2005, five Rossport residents were jailed for 3 months for attempting to prevent construction workers from entering their land. Last summer, residents and activists set up a protest camp on the site of the proposed pipeline and prevented construction by shutting down both the pipeline and refinery building sites. Work on the project has still not begun, and the camp is seeking as many people as possible to join them this summer to stop Shell again.

The battle in Ireland is just one of many struggles against Shell’s environmental and human rights abuses around the world. Shell’s oil empire is also making a huge contribution to climate chaos, trading over 14 million barrels of crude oil equivalent every day. The company’s recent record profits of $23 billion come only at the expense of massive damage
to the climate. (www.risingtide.org.uk)

The activists were from Rising Tide, Rhythms of Resistance and other groups.

For more information and photos, call 07708 794665 or email london@risingtide.org.uk

Petrol Pumps Closed

Hell Shell

Samba blockading

Roof dwellers

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Comments (8 of 8)

video film to follow

by rikki

Sun Feb 19, 2006 00:57

we are editing a multi-camera video of this succesful london action and will be posting it to indymedia as soon as it is finished on sunday or monday

legal update

Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:49

the two men who had been on the roof of the garage were finally released a short while after 2am on sunday morning. they are released on police bail and have to reappear at islington police station in march to hear whether they will be charged with criminal damage.

they were questioned at length about the incident, and asked whether they had put stickers on the petrol pumps at the garage, to which one of them replied "do you really think our arms are that long?"

the good news for those on the ground is that presumably the police have no idea if anyone involved in the action did actually sticker the pumps, otherwise i am sure they wouldn't be asking such ridiculous questions to the very ones who couldn't possibly have done it.

yesterday saw police using a combination of two powers in a disturbing new assault on civil liberties. first they used a 'section 50' to collect names and addresses, and then they used a 'section 60' to take photos - the combination meant they could put details to faces there and then.

apparently, and i'm open to correction on this, a 'section 50' relates to 'anti-social behaviour' and requires that a police constable witnesses behaviour that is anti-social - this then gives the police power to demand name and address and if they are not satisfied of its veracity, date of birth. failure to comply can lead to arrest. some of the detainees yesterday asked which constable had personally witnessed them taking part in 'anti-social' behaviour, and the same forward intelligence team constable came forward for each - he must have had fantastic powers of observation to be the sole witness to all these different individual's behaviour.

police also knocked at doors of the local residents, reportedly asking them whether they would be willing to make a noise complaint - presumably in an attempt to shore up their daft claims of anti-social behaviour. many refused, stating that they had enjoyed the spectacle and samba music - indeed, some had been bringing out cups of tea to some of the protestors.

We intend to win this one

by maura harrington - mayo shell to sea

Sun Feb 19, 2006 17:23

I would like to salute all those who staged a great protest in solidarity with the people of Rossport/Erris. It means an awful lot to us 'at the gates' to know that good people, many of whom we have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, are prepared to stand and fight with us.
As the title of this comment says, we have no intention of chalking up another 'noble failure' on this one; personally, I've had enough of them from the last century - the new century and new millenium will belong to those who stop all those nasty, grasping, greedy bastards in their tracks and the far northwest corner of Mayo is the site of one of the first of these battles.
For the information of London readers, there is an event planned on MARCH 19th at which some if not all of the Rossport 5 will be present. VENUE THE GALTYMORE, CRICKLEWOOD.
Won't be there myself at that time but hope to visit at a later date.
A personal hello to all at Chalk Farm Road and, again, a big thank you to all.

Apply for an ASBO against the police officers?

by Coilín

Sun Feb 19, 2006 20:12

Perhaps some of the locals who enjoyed the festivities so much would make application for an ASBO against the police officers who unnecessarily came knocking on their doors and harrassing those activists who did least of all to obstruct access to the petrol station?

Let's be clear about who is being social and who is being anti-social here! : )

Coilín.

Fair play!!

by Ciarán

Sun Feb 19, 2006 21:06

shelltoseabelfast at gmail dot com

Jesus, you all really know how to throw a protest! Fair play to the lot of you.

Beirigí bua.

Shells veneer of corporate respectablity starting to peel

by cool j

Mon Feb 20, 2006 01:52

jimmyobyrne at yahoo dot com

097-20898

Great to see such protests in London where British Shell has its HQ and likes to give the air of a respectable global corporation despite its world-wide abuse of the environment and human rights. Time for the British government to call Shell to heal and for all political parties to come clean on their links to this despotic company, including the Liberal party who like ot portray themselves as staunch supports of human rights etc. despite having at least one SHell director as an MP(for Brighton I think).

Shell director MP?

by anarchyvist - Dublin Shell to Sea

Mon Feb 20, 2006 02:10

So who's he (I presume it's a he) then?

movie now available

Fri Feb 24, 2006 11:54

the movie of this wonderful solidarity action is now available at:
http://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/334421.html

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London Shell Petrol Station Blockaded

Comments (8 of 8)