What were the key events of Bloody Sunday?

The key events of Bloody Sunday were as follows:

1. On January 30, 1972, a civil rights march took place in Derry, Northern Ireland, organized by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA).

2. The march was protesting against internment without trial, a policy implemented by the British government in Northern Ireland.

3. The British Army's 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment, was deployed to maintain order during the march.

4. As the march progressed, tensions escalated, and clashes between the marchers and the soldiers occurred.

5. In the afternoon, the situation escalated further when the soldiers opened fire on the crowd, killing 13 unarmed civilians and injuring many others. Another victim died later due to injuries sustained during the incident.

6. The victims included both men and boys, with the youngest being just 17 years old.

7. The events of Bloody Sunday led to widespread outrage and increased support for the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and other paramilitary groups.

8. The British government initially defended the actions of the soldiers, claiming they had come under attack. However, subsequent investigations and inquiries concluded that the soldiers' use of force was unjustified and that the victims were innocent.

9. The impact of Bloody Sunday on the conflict in Northern Ireland was significant, further fueling the tensions and violence between the nationalist and unionist communities.

10. It took several decades for the truth about Bloody Sunday to be officially acknowledged, and in 2010, the Saville Inquiry concluded that the killings were unjustified and that the victims were innocent.