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By Tom Brady Security Editor
Tuesday June 30 2009
GARDAI will scale down the massive security presence at the Shell pipelaying project by the end of the week.
Some 300 gardai and two Naval Service vessels have been deployed at Glengad to keep the peace during the crucial phase of the work involving the pipelaying ship, the 'Solitaire', at Broadhaven Bay, Co Mayo.
But with the shore work due to be completed on Sunday night, it is expected that the 40 to 50 'peace camp' protesters will dwindle significantly in the coming days.
None of those detained yesterday are from the local area and their protests did not interfere with the Shell project. However, they caused severe disruption to residents, who had to take detours to reach their homes.
One protest involved the demonstrators lying in star formation in the middle of the road with their arms encased inside two pieces of piping and then joining hands while chained with snap shackles.
Specially-trained gardai were brought in to free the protesters, using equipment such as angle grinders, without causing any harm.
The three-hour operation to remove the demonstrators from the road ended at 1am yesterday -- four hours after the latest pipelaying phase had ended.
Taxpayers have paid €15m so far in garda overtime to police the project.
Nine protesters were arrested by gardai following two other roadblocking demonstrations at the weekend. They appeared in Ballina District Court at 5.30pm yesterday. Two were released on bail and the others were remanded in custody until Friday.
- Tom Brady Security Editor