Shell Station Salford
Picketing the station
New Shell advertising
More new advertising
Rhythms of Resistance
Anarchists get everywhere
The response was generally good. We spoke to them as they arrived and whilst on the forecourt. The message as simple - please don't buy petrol here, better still think whether your car journey is necessary. At least ten cars simply drove away from the garage in the hour and a half we were there, which must have cost them a few hundred pounds.
The leaflet is available at:
http://af-north.org/shell/rossport.htm For more local information, please contact us at:
shelltosea@af-north.org More information about the campaign can be got from: www.indymedia.ie/mayo
Information about Shell to Sea:
http://www.shelltosea.com/ Rossport Solidarity Camp:
http://www.struggle.ws/rsc/ or www.rossportsolidaritycamp.com 
e-mail:
Homepage:
Comments
Hide the following 9 comments
Photos etc
18.11.2006 20:35
BUT, still a good action!
tipobarra
picket, action, impact...!?
18.11.2006 21:52
From pics looks like you started on pavement and not blockading, but leafletting. If a few drivers drove away after being talked to, imagine how much more money you would have lost them if you'd blockaded them, like all the other solidarity actions with Rossport and the Niger Delta around the country that have gone on over the last weeks.
Nice one nonetheless...maybe next time...
supporter
Blockades
19.11.2006 03:05
With a relatively small group of people like this, a blockade really isn't going to last very long.
madashell
blockade/picket
19.11.2006 19:13
However, from my standpoint, it's a pity not to start with a blockade, and move onto a picket. You start by blocking entrances, and then when you have to move ('cos of police) onto the pavement, you might choose to, and from thenceforth, it's a picket. The change is as good as a rest, and people will tend to stay around longer 'cos it's less boring!
It's not true that you'd get nicked pretty sharpish (unless you punch all coppers when you see them, or become frenzied by uniform to torch the place!). Sometimes the police are arsey and get you out of the way, sometimes they just leave you there. Sometimes the garage asks the police not to arrest because they don't want the publicity of a court case. There are ways of improving your chances, or at least longetivity, by using tripods, arm tubes or lower-tech devices (such as sitting down and linking arms). A blockade is a tactic that can be adapted, and can be very effective with a small group of people.
Check out all the different protests at Shell garages over the last few weeks - most of them were blockades, with rooftop occupations; some lasted a little time, some lasted half a day.
As to propaganda value, I don't get it. Both tactics would be of course improved in effectiveness if they were being repeated day after day, all over the country. Short of that, I don't think there's much propaganda value in either, though it's not to be written off, especially if you have good press work and arrests/court cases, which gives you the hook the meedja are into.
supporter
Picket or blockade
19.11.2006 20:26
knightrose
e-mail:
shelltosea@af-north.org
Homepage:
http://www.af-north.org
supporter
19.11.2006 23:22
Usually, the plod can't be arsed with the paperwork and will just try and move you on with a warning. They'll probably also try to convince the complainant not to go for charges and give tham a chance to resolve the situation amicably.
In terms of dealing with the plod, I have found so long as you keep your cool, be polite and appear to be reasonable and sympathetic to the police position etc. blah. you can get away with a lot- no-one likes getting the piss taken out them, and the police are better positioned than most at having the upper hand.
Maybe someone (more experienced than me) should write a manual on this very subject?
Anyway, nice one for getting out there and doing something. I'm sure the victims of police brutality at Rossport appreciate the gesture of support.
Wuss
act
20.11.2006 01:34
R
good action but why are faces blanked
20.11.2006 13:08
papa razzi
blanked faces and dealing with the cops
20.11.2006 16:42
A note on dealing with the cops. We did get a visit after about an hour. Two of us had agreed to speak to them. We walked straight over and politely suggested that we go somewhere quiet to talk. We then told them what we were doing and what our timescale was. I was then asked my name and address, I told them I'd rather not give it. End of discussion. Off they drove.
My guess is have someone to talk who looks respectable, is preferrably middle aged and who knows how to be politely assertive. Also know what you are going to say in advance. In other words, take the initiative, don't let them. I know they are reluctant to nick people cos it involves loads of paper work.
knightrose
e-mail:
shelltosea@af-north.org
Homepage:
http://www.af-north.org