Workers Solidarity Movement

The long running struggle in Erris (Rossport) against Shell's attempt to impose an experimental gas pipeline on the local community has erupted in recent days with repeated local direct actions against the compound Shell are trying to construct. Meanwhile the state at the behest of Shell continues to press vindictive prosecutions against local activists. Back in March retired school teacher Maura Harrington for jailed for 30 days, today the state returned for another pound of flesh and she was sentenced to another 7-10 days in Mountjoy prison. At very short notice over 20 activists from Dublin Shell to Sea gathered at the prison gates and showed their outrage by blocking the entrance of the prison van containing Maura in to Mountjoy for about twenty minutes.

A presentation by Miriam Turley ( Eglantine Community Garden , Belfast ), & Seoidin O'Sullivan (The South Circular Road Food Garden Project, Dublin ).

The long running struggle in Erris (Rossport) against Shell's attempt to impose an experimental gas pipeline on the local community has once more errupted in recent days with the arrival of the Solitaire to attempt to bring the pipeline to shore. In his article Erris: Community in Struggle against Shell WSM member Sean Mallory details the latest events following the resumption of construction. Here we provide background articles on the struggle and a focus on the events of last Summer and Autumn which culminated in Shell having to halt construction over winter.

What has happened in Erris over the past two weeks is unprecedented in the harassment by security forces (both private and state) and the fight back by the community is astounding and inspirational. Sean Mallory having spent time in mayo recently outlines the main events over the past two weeks.

A day of Action has been called by Mayo Shell to Sea. The community after putting up fierce resistance to Shell's attempts to restart work are now asking you to join them in a day of protest. The protest assembles Glengad 18-00hrs on Saturday May 9th for more information see (http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92183)

'Food Fight' Café with talk on local struggles and food sovereignty in latin America by Alberta Cariño Trujillo

Maura Harrington of Shell to Sea has been in Mountjoy prison for the last weeks, serving a 30 day sentence for supposadely assaulting a Gardai, WSM members have been taking part in solidarity protests outside the prison. Here we reproduce extracts from the blog of one WSM member who has attended some of these protest.

Statement from Greek anarchists on the shooting of the 16-year-old boy, Alexandros Grigoropoulos,  in Athens

What we were witnessing was a clear demonstration of people power in action. The government was in a panic and was drastically hurtling to reverse the medical card decision. And when this meeting was followed up 24 hours later with a demonstration of 15,000 organised by the Senior Citizens Parliament and another 15,000-strong student demonstration against the re-introduction of 3^rd level fees it was obvious that politics in Ireland had changed drastically.

SIPTU Childcare Protest - Tuesday Dec. 9th
Liberty Hall, 1pm

Scrap subvention. provide adequate funding.

The Irish navy gunboat, the LE Orla has been mobilized in the latest escalation of the standoff between Shell, the Irish state and Shell to Sea campaigners in County Mayo. The standoff comes after a relatively quiet period in the campaign and centers on attempts by campaigners to halt Shell's pipe- laying work in Broadhaven Bay and on Glengad beach, where Shell intend to bring their high-pressure gas pipeline ashore. The Irish navy gunboat has been called in after a request by Gardai and will support Garda facilitation of the Shell's works in the bay.