"Your letters and photos have sparked riots in the maximum security wing of my heart"
Press Release
11am Tuesday 16th March
Solidarity Demonstration for Pat O'Donnell; Jailed Erris Fisherman
Irish Embassy, 17 Grosvenor Place, London.
In the run up to St Patricks Day supporters of Pat O'Donnell will demonstrate outside the Irish Embassy in London tomorrow demanding his immediate release from prison. Mr O'Donnell is a fisherman from Erris, N.W Mayo and has been jailed for 7 months for his part in the communities on-going resistance to Shell's proposed raw gas pipeline. Local people have been fighting the project for over 10 years insisting it will be a danger to their health & that it will ruin the environment on which many of their livelihoods depend. Mr O'Donnell is actively involved in local campaign group Shell to Sea & as a result has been consistently targeted by Shell & the Irish state.
Commenting on the jailing, Shell to Sea spokesperson Terence Conway stated:
“Once again the jailing of Pat O Donnell shows selective prosecution on behalf of the Gardaí. Pat O Donnell was picked out of a crowd of 60 people. The sentences are totally disproportionate to any alleged law-breaking and seem to be a punishment for opposing the Governments' facilitation of Shell“.
On 11th June 2009, Pat O'Donnell's boat was sunk by 4 armed and masked men in Broadhaven Bay. Later that month both Pat O'Donnell and his son Jonathan were arrested in Broadhaven Bay just prior to the arrival of Shell's pipelaying vessel, the Solitaire. Both fishermen's boats were impounded, yet no charges were brought against Pat and charges were later dropped against Jonathan. Almost identical arrests occurred in 2008 again just prior to the Solitaire's arrival.
Mr Conway continued:
“Pat O'Donnell has been a constant thorn in Shell's side as he has refused to be bought off, and has upheld his legal and traditional right to fish in Broadhaven Bay. Now, as Shell prepare to occupy Broadhaven Bay in the coming months for further pipeline work, Pat O Donnell is conveniently stuck in jail”
People from Erris will be present at the demonstration along with supporters from around the UK. They will sign a card for Pat & hand in a letter to the Embassy demanding Pat's immediate release.
Tel (UK): Sam Brown:
Shell to Sea spokesperson (Ireland): Maura Harrington