Most insightful press release of the day goes to… drumroll please… Shell to Sea.
Today marks the 4th year anniversary of the baton charge and violence by Gardaí against protestors opposed to the Corrib Gas Project.
The 10th of November 2006 was chosen by the Shell to Sea campaign, as a suitable day of action as it marked the anniversary of the hanging of Ken Saro Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni activists who opposed Shell. Over 200 Gardaí were drafted in under the direction of Superintendent Joe Gannon (then Superintendent in Belmullet).
Ironically Superintendent Joe Gannon is now Superintendent at Pearse Street Garda Station, which today will be the focus of a protest march in opposition to Garda brutality against protestors. This protest was called in light of the violence that was dealt out to students in Dublin last week. Supt. Joe Gannon was present and personally involved in the scene at the Dept of Finance when students were violently removed from the building.
Shell to Sea spokesperson Terence Conway stated “In a investigation into Supt. Joe Gannon’s handling of a protest at Pollathomais Pier in which 20 people were injured, the Garda Ombudsman recommended to Garda Headquarters that disciplinary action be taken against him. However nothing happened and instead Supt Joe Gannon was promoted and has continued to police protests in the same manner that characterised his time down here in Mayo”.
Irish Times report on the Garda Siochana’s decision to reject the recommendation by the Garda Ombudsman is here.
What´s all the fuss about.’It is a long standing tradition among our police force to move elsewhere-and to promote- troublesome police-eh-I was almost going to say priests..!