In Northern Ireland’s Londonderry, British Army paratroopers fatally shot 13 unarmed civil rights demonstrators, an incident that became infamous as “Bloody Sunday.”
All the protesters were Northern Catholics marching against the British policy of detaining suspected Irish nationalists.
Despite a ban on the march imposed by British authorities, the demonstration went ahead, prompting troops to clash with the marchers. The soldiers opened fire haphazardly into the crowd, resulting in 13 deaths and 17 injuries.
This tragic event drew global attention to the situation in Northern Ireland and incited protests throughout Ireland. In Dublin, the irate citizens set fire to the British embassy on February 2.
The turmoil in Northern Ireland intensified in 1969 when British soldiers were dispatched to suppress the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and to address sectarian violence between Protestants and Catholics.
In April 1972, the British government published a report clearing its troops of any wrongdoing during the Londonderry protest. The Irish response to Britain’s policies in Northern Ireland became increasingly indignant, while Britain escalated its military presence and eliminated any remnants of self-governance in the North.
On July 21, 1972, the IRA detonated 20 bombs simultaneously across Belfast, resulting in casualties among British soldiers and civilians alike. In reaction, Britain established a new court system allowing for trials without juries for terrorism suspects, leading to conviction rates exceeding 90 percent.
The IRA officially disarmed in September 2005, marking the realization of the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement’s terms. This disarmament was anticipated to signify the end of years of politically charged violence in the region.
