Protest at Shell H.Q. in London

Protest on 4th of August outside the headquarters of Shell Petroleum at York Road in London.
Members of the London Irish Green Group, together with Green Party members from across London and Bedfordshire, held a protest today outside the headquarters of Shell Petroleum at York Road in London. The protest was Shell's activities in the Irish Republic, where a controversial gas pipeline is being laid across open bogland in County Mayo, bringing gas ashore from the Corrib gas field further out in the Atlantic Ocean. The pipeline has been the cause for a campaign by five local farmers from Rossport (''The Rossport Five'') who have been protesting about the safety aspects of the pipeline, and also the destruction of one of Ireland's last areas of pristine bogland. The five have been imprisoned indefinitely and have already been incarcerated for five weeks, when they refused permission for the potentially dangerous pipeline to be built on their land.The five have argued that the gas should be extracted from offshore platforms and not brought overland. The courts have sided with the government and Shell. This has led to widespread protests across Ireland and a boycott of Shell and Statoil (the partner company in the project) by many in the Irish Republic. The five were recently visited in prison by two TDs (MPs) from the Irish Green Party, who pledged their support.The protest in London today was joined by anti-Shell activists, who have joined the Shell to Sea campaign www.shelltosea.com Noel Lynch, Chair of the London Irish Green Group, commented: ''We are here as Irish people and members of the Green Party to demonstrate our solidarity with those who are fighting for justice and fair play in Ireland and against the actions of the energy multinationals like Shell. Shell have done similar things in Nigeria, where they have used economic and political pressure to silence those whose lands are being destroyed by their actions, and now they are doing something similar in Ireland. We call upon the Irish government to support the fair and just demands of the Rossport Five, and for the onshore pipeline to be removed from County Mayo.''The story will be carried in The Irish World, The Irish Post and South London Press amongst other publications.The London Irish Green Group would like to thank Poppy, Pete Murry, Marc Scheimann, Romane Phoenix (and children) Robert Boucnik and members of the Shell to Sea campaign.Joseph HealyLondon Irish Green Group