Northern Ireland is marking 50 years since the Bloody Sunday massacre with events across the country. On this day in 1972, British soldiers shot dead thirteen unarmed civilians during a protest in the city of Londonderry, also known as Derry - and the consequences can still be felt today.
One of the darkest chapters of the Northern Ireland conflict unfolded five decades ago, when thousands of mostly Catholic protesters gathered for a rally against a new law allowing imprisonment without trial.
British troops were deployed to block the marchers. After youths starting throwing bottles and stones, soldiers responded with rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannon. But paratroopers also opened fire with live rounds, shooting at the marchers.
After less than half an hour of shooting, thirteen marchers were dead, with over a dozen more injured. All were Catholics. A fourteenth would succumb to wounds months later.
The Soldiers claimed they had targeted gunmen and bomb throwers. A government inquiry supported the army's account, but was panned as a whitewash.
Only in 2010 would a second inquiry report that everyone shot was unarmed, that no bombs were thrown and that soldiers had lied. The British government issued a formal apology, but to this day no one has faced trial over the killings.
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#BloodySunday #NorthernIreland #Troubles
One of the darkest chapters of the Northern Ireland conflict unfolded five decades ago, when thousands of mostly Catholic protesters gathered for a rally against a new law allowing imprisonment without trial.
British troops were deployed to block the marchers. After youths starting throwing bottles and stones, soldiers responded with rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannon. But paratroopers also opened fire with live rounds, shooting at the marchers.
After less than half an hour of shooting, thirteen marchers were dead, with over a dozen more injured. All were Catholics. A fourteenth would succumb to wounds months later.
The Soldiers claimed they had targeted gunmen and bomb throwers. A government inquiry supported the army's account, but was panned as a whitewash.
Only in 2010 would a second inquiry report that everyone shot was unarmed, that no bombs were thrown and that soldiers had lied. The British government issued a formal apology, but to this day no one has faced trial over the killings.
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For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/
Follow DW on social media:
►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deutschewellenews/
►Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwnews
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Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: https://www.youtube.com/dwdeutsch
#BloodySunday #NorthernIreland #Troubles
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