50 Years Since Bloody Sunday

50 Years Since Bloody Sunday

30 January 1972

10,000 marchers take to the streets of Derry, Ireland to protest against the British policy of internment, which meant any member of the public could be imprisoned without trial on suspicion of being part of a paramilitary organisation.

British soldiers open fire on the crowd of innocent civilians, killing 14. Many were shot with their backs turned, running away from the soldiers.

It was the highest number of people killed in a shooting incident during the conflict and is considered the worst mass shooting in Northern Irish history.

Bloody Sunday fuelled Catholic and Irish nationalist hostility towards the British Army and support for the Provisional IRA rose

Patrick Doherty, 31. Shot from behind while attempting to crawl to safety. Murdered by 'Soldier F'.

Gerry Donaghy, 17. Shot in the stomach while standing behind Gerard McKinney. Soldiers planted four nail bombs in his pockets to justify the killings.

Jackie Duddy, 17. Shot as he ran away from soldiers. Three witnesses said they saw a soldier take deliberate aim at him as he ran.

Hugh Gilmour, 17. Shot as he ran away from soldiers.

Michael Kelly, 17. Shot in the stomach while standing at the rubble barricade. Murdered by 'Soldier F'.

Michael McDaid, 20. Shot in the face while going to the aid of William Nash.

Kevin McElhinney, 17. Shot from behind while attempting to crawl to safety.

Barney McGuigan, 41. Shot in the back of the head when he walked out from cover to help Patrick Doherty. He had been waving a white handkerchief. Murdered by 'Soldier F'.

Gerry McKinney, 35. Shot in the chest by 'Private G'. Witnesses said that when he saw the soldier, McKinney stopped and held up his arms, shouting, "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!", before being shot. The bullet apparently went through his body and struck Gerard Donaghy behind him.

William McKinney, 26. Shot in the back as he attempted to flee. Murdered by 'Soldier F'.

William Nash, 19. Three people were shot while going to his aid, including his father Alexander Nash.

Jim Wray, 22. Shot in the back while running away from soldiers. He was then shot again in the back as he lay mortally wounded on the ground. Witnesses stated he was calling out that he could not move his legs before he was shot the second time. Murdered by 'Soldier F'.

John Young, 17. Shot in the face while crouching and going to the aid of William Nash.

John Johnston, 59. Shot in the leg and left shoulder on William Street fifteen minutes before the rest of the shooting started. Johnston was not on the march, but on his way to visit a friend.

Despite the British state issuing an apology in 2010, no soldier has ever been prosecuted for their involvement.

The same paratroopers murdered 11 innocent civilians outside their homes in Ballymurphy months earlier, including a priest who had been administering last rights to a dying man.