The Shell to Sea campaign has cancelled plans for a "day of solidarity" in north Mayo this Friday on grounds of health and safety.
However, a national rally to highlight concerns about the Corrib gas project will take place on December 2nd in Dublin. The campaign has also reiterated its proposal for a commission of inquiry which it describes as the "only viable method to resolve this crisis".
The campaign says that its decision to call off Friday's event was taken "solely in order to protect the health and safety of participants". This followed the hospitalisation of one protester and injuries to a number of local residents and to several gardaí during a "day of action" at Bellanaboy on November 10th.
Gardaí used batons to disperse objectors and the public order unit, or riot squad, was also on standby.
The campaign said that it judged that it was "no longer safe to invite large numbers of people to participate in peaceful protest", and it wished to exercise responsibility and leadership. It said it wished to avoid any potential for further injuries and to minimise disruption to the community.
The campaign said it was "likely" that gardaí would have prevented a "further peaceful march", and would "employ aggressive policing methods to do so". It said it was "clear from the evidence that senior gardaí lack sufficient training in how to appropriately police peaceful civil disobedience".
Responding, Chief Supt Tony McNamara, head of the Mayo Garda division, said that he rejected such allegations. "There is a peaceful protest on most mornings up at Bellanaboy, and gardaí there are properly trained," he said.
Referring to actions taken by gardaí on November 10th, he said the amount of force used was "measured and commensurate with the resistance and obstruction gardaí met on the road by protesters, who were, by and large, not from the area".
Shell E&P Ireland is holding two information days in Belmullet today and tomorrow. "The open evenings are being held to seek input and feedback from the local community around aspects of the project, including the criteria that should be used for selecting a new onshore pipeline route," the company has said. A Shell spokesman said it was committed to modifying the route, as proposed by Government mediator, Peter Cassells, but is currently retaining its consents acquired for the original route.
