FOUR MEN HAVE been arrested following a stand-off between Gardaí and Shell to Sea protesters in Mayo last night.

The demonstrators had locked themselves to drums filled with cement in an attempt to block Shell from delivering specialist tunnelling equipment to the Corrib gas project.

Two of the men have been charged with public order offences and were due in court this morning. The other two males are currently detained at Belmullet Garda Station.

Protesters locked onto the concrete barrels had to be freed by Gardaí using specialist cutting equipment. The activists had held two separate ‘lock ons’ – once after 9pm and again at midnight.

Con Coughlan of the Rossport Solidarity Camp said the group was “really pleased” it was able to drag the issue into public light, despite the attempts of a “multi-million dollar company to move the machinery at night”.

“It was a successful day,” he said, adding that he was continuing to monitor the situation at the estuary. It is understood that one of the lorries in the Shell convoy had become stuck at Glenamoy after having difficulties manoeuvring around a corner.

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The tunnel boring machine, which had travelled from Dublin, will be used to dig under Sruwaddacon Bay.