[IMC-UK-Features] rossport feature

[clare white]

Hi
was told to email you re feature for rossport. Its kinda urgent cos it might all be over in 5 days unless we get a load more people. If you can get it up soon that would be great.
thanks
x

Stop the Solitiare!



The Solitaire arrived at midnight last night in Broadhaven Bay. There
are 300 gardai in the area, two navy gun boats, cop helicopters &
countless security & gardai boats. Despite all this yesterday saw
determined fishermen & kayakers taking to the high seas to attempt
to stop the ship.



In a reprise of last year's repeated arrests on the waters of
Broadhaven Bay, Shell's Gardai arrested Pat 'the Chief' O'Donnell
and his son Jonathan while they were fishing in Broadhaven Bay yesterday
morning. Their two boats were commandeered by Gardai and brought to
Ballyglass pier under tow and naval escort. Gardai claim that the two
boats were 'loitering', the new term for criminalising fishermen
exercising their rights to fish in their native waters.



The preventative detention of O'Donnell and his father Pat, appears to
be motivated by a government plan to shut down all protests against the
Solitaire as it prepares to lay 84km of pipeline to advance the ill
fated and unwanted Corrib gas project.  Jonathan O'Donnell, spent last night in Castlerea
prison following his arrest.  Pat was also injured by Gardai,
and sent to hospital, from where he has since been released.







Meanwhile Jonathan and Pat O'Donnell's boats remain impounded by Gardai
as dozens of people arrived in the area to join local protestors
launching a weekend of action to prevent the Solitaire's disastrous
mission.



Five kayakers breached the Solitaire's unilaterally declared 500 metre
exclusion zone yesterday evening (Thursday) in a daring offshore
action. Despite the presence of Navy warships, Garda water units and
private security vessels in Erris waters, the determined fishing boat
approached the vessel. The kayakers launched from the boat & made directly for the Solitaire,
dodging Shell and safety boats, and came within 100 metres of the
pipelaying ship which immediately left the area, roughly ten miles off
the Mayo Coast. 

Finally at midnight the Solitiare came in to the bay.





Shell To Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington praised the courage of the
crew, saying, “it is actions like this which show that a small group of
determined individuals can challenge corporate power and prevent Shell
from bulldozing its way through a rural community."



5 kayakers came within 100 metres, just think what 50 kayakers could
do! The time is now, come over to erris; leave tonight & you'll be
at camp by midday tomorrow!


      
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