50 years later, the wounds are still open

That day, January 30, 1972, thousands of Catholics took to the streets once again to demand equal civil rights, which they had been deprived of since the partition of the island in 1821. But this time, the peaceful protest turns to tragedy. British paratroopers fire on the crowd and cause thirteen deaths. According to the first testimonies, the army deliberately fired on the crowd. A first investigation by the British government finally concludes that the soldiers were in self-defense, as they allegedly came under fire from the IRA (the Irish Republican Army) before responding.

Families of victims will continue to demand justice. Over the years, this tragic event became the symbol of British oppression over the Catholic community in Northern Ireland. The group U2, through its title “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, immortalizes this bloody Sunday. It will take 38 years for the families to win their case. In an investigative report published in 2010, the British version is contradicted and David Cameron, Prime Minister at the time, then apologizes. 50 years later, this day remains more than ever inscribed in British history.