Armed with 3,000 leaflets and noisy drums, the activists quickly drew large
crowds of people around them, dressed up in the green, white and orange and
getting into the spirit of the day, contrasting sharply with the heavy
presence of grim-faced security and police forces bent on over the top crowd
control. Leaflets were given out hi-lighting the struggles and calling for
people to come to the solidarity camp in Glengad, despite being constantly
harassed, in turn, by the security forces and the cops, who even threatened
to shut down the entire event at one point if the band didn't stop playing
and leave. In the end 3,000 leaflets were successfully handed out, drawing a
mostly positive feedback from the crowd. One woman with a sister living in
Mayo, outraged by the attitude of the cops, even helped to leaflet the event,
while other revellers showed their support by demanding that the security and
police forces leave the protestors alone, pointing out they had the right to
be there.

Charges of criminal damage against the 3 people arrested at the London
solidarity action on Feb 18 have been dropped. A banner, hung from the Shell
petrol station in North London is still in police custody. It's suspected
that the police refused to release it in case it turned up on St. Patrick's
day!
(to see a movie of the London solidarity action go to
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/334421.html)

After five years running roughshod over local communities on the north west
coast of Ireland, a giant Shell consortium is poised to transform a remote
conservation area of outstanding natural beauty into an environmental
disaster zone with serious public health and safety implications. After a
lengthy and dubious planning process, Shell has been granted approval to
build a high pressure raw gas pipeline and huge gas refinery on unstable bog
land, that will poison the area and endanger residents who live just metres
away. Shell plan to pump toxic waste into Broadhaven Bay, an internationally
important bird, whale and dolphin habitat. The Irish State changed the law to
allow compulsory acquisition orders to be used on Shell's behalf giving them
access to local people's land, the first time ever they've been used to
benefit a private company.

As the start of a new construction season approaches, the solidarity camp has
been reopened at the landfall section of the proposed pipeline route at
Glengad. People are needed to come to the camp for 3 days or 3 months.
Everyone is welcome regardless of experience, age or ability. (For more
details about the camp and how to get there see: www.struggle.ws/rsc/) If you
can't make it to the camp, get involved with the UK solidarity campaign.
Contact  stops_hell@yahoo.com to find out more or start up a support group in
your local area, give out leaflets, plan solidarity actions or raise funds
for Mayo. For latest news check:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/03/335655.html

The battle in Ireland is just one of many struggles against Shell's
environmental and human rights abuses around the world. In Nigeria Shell still
devastates the environment in the Niger Delta and in 1995 stood by as Ken
Saro-Wiwa and eight Ogoni colleagues were hung by the Nigerian state for
campaigning against the oil companies. (www.shellfacts.com) In Russia,
another troubled Shell-led project on Sakhalin Island is endangering the
world's last 100 western pacific grey whales. (www.sakhalin.environment.ru/)

For more about the struggle in Mayo go to:
www.londonrisingtide.org.uk
www.indymedia.ie/mayo
www.corribsos.com