Transcript Document

Bloody Sunday
30th January 1972
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The background
Civil Rights protests 1968-1972
 Deployment of British Army in
Northern Ireland
 Increase in paramilitary actions
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The Civil Rights Movement
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Established by students as a form of protest about housing,
unemployment and political inequalities. This movement was met with
hostility by some elements of the protestant community who thought it
was a method of interfering in Northern Irish issues.
The main method of protesting was marches. When these were attacked
some of the marchers also used violence. The police have been accused
of taking sides in these clashes.
Marches led to increased confrontation between Unionists and
Nationalists and led to increased suspicion and hatred of the Police, and
later armed forces.
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Government Action
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The Police
– Used force against the violent minority
of the marchers.
– Were seen by Catholics as acting
unlawfully.
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The Army
– Were sent to aid the RUC.
– Were used to conduct house to house
searches.
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Government Action continued
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Consequences.
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Catholic population of Northern Ireland felt increasingly isolated.
Popularity of paramilitary groups increases as Nationalists lose faith in
security forces.
Unionist paramilitary groups step up recruitment.
Continued unrest and calls for Political change.
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Which later lead to…
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Internment
Tit for tat killings
‘No go’ areas being created as paramilitary groups take to the streets
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Preventative Measures
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Internment
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This is imprisonment of suspects without trial. These men were badly
treated, they were denied sleep, subjected to continuous noise and often
‘hooded’ at times when they were not being interrogated.
Nearly all of the 1600 internees were Catholic.
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Consequences of Internment
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Rapid increase in the number of paramilitary attacks. (April-July of 1971 8
killings, August- November 114 killings)
Public outcry at treatment of innocent men.
Increased feeling of isolation amongst the catholic population.
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The Catholic reaction
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A Protest Rally organised for
30 January 1972 to complain at the
use of Internment.
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The Rally: What happened?
Marchers were allowed to congregate
and set off on the march (Political
Marches had been banned in
Northern Ireland).
 Marchers halted at an army
roadblock.
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The Rally: What happened?
Protestors throw stones at the army.
 Water Cannon and Rubber Bullets
used to disperse the crowd.
 Confrontation continues and further
stones are thrown and rubber bullets
fired.

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The Rally: What happened?
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Suddenly gun shot is heard and
within seconds 13 marchers are lying
dead, others are wounded and
hundreds of others are in shock.
The British Army has killed 13
members of the public
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Immediate Reactions
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The Army
– Claims it only ever returned fire
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The Protestors
– Claim that no shots were fired other than those
by the armed forces
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Independent Witnesses
– Offer conflicting accounts but cannot PROVE
that shots were fired at the army
*The Inquiry into these events has recently been re-opened, this may
result in an accepted version of events becoming available.
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Interpretations of events

The Official Version of events.
The men of the Parachute regiment responded to gun shot. They had
been under attack from the crowd for some time, through stone
throwing and reacted to shots being fired by returning fire. This is
an acceptable reaction. It is regrettable that innocent people may
have been as a result of the paratroopers self defence.
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The Marchers Version of events.
The armed forces were provocative. They had halted a peaceful protest and
were aggressive towards members of the protest group. The frustrated
actions of some marchers resulted in the paratroopers opting for brute,
murdering force. They opened fire on innocent men, women and children.
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Possible Explanations to consider
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Paratroopers were armed with both rubber bullets and live
ammunition. They may have mistakenly used live ammunition.
 The paratroopers were fearful of being shot at, the IRA was
becoming increasingly active. If they thought they were being shot
at, they might have panicked themselves.
 The parachute regiment is not trained for crowd control situations.
They are trained to be aggressive.
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Consequences
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Break down of Law and Order in Northern Ireland.
IRA attacks on mainland Britain.
Unionists become more extreme.
Northern Ireland assembly suspended.
Increase in number of soldiers in the province.
Increased sympathy for extremists of both sides from abroad.
Change in IRA tactics
Splinter groups from the IRA emerge, the Irish National Liberation Army.
Police and Army made increasingly unwelcome in Nationalist areas.
Government reform: gerrymandering ends, B-Specials disbanded, direct
rule from Whitehall (London), new security force established (Ulster
Defence regiment)… which each in themselves have consequences…
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Reaction to Government actions
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Dublin, happy with Direct Rule as it ends Unionist control
over the province. Calls for IRA cease-fire.
Unionists. Feel betrayed by London. Unionist paramilitary
groups increase number of sectarian attacks.
Nationalists. Many were pleased with Direct Rule. Civil
Rights protestors still press for reform though.
IRA. View direct rule as Britain trying to illegally take what
is not rightfully there’s. Escalation of violence.
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