1. Civil Rights Movement

2. Battle of Bogside “Free Derry” 1969
British troops had been sent into Derry as a peacekeeping force in August 1969 to restore order as riots were raging and getting out of control. This was later given the knick name “Free Derry”
The troops has been welcomed by the predominantly Catholic nationalist community as a preferable alternative the Northern Ireland Security Forces, as they did a good job of keeping the area under control.

3. Bloody Sunday
3 years later, on Sunday 30 January 1972, around ten thousand people gathered in Londonderry for a civil rights march.
The British Army had sealed off the original route so the march organisers led most of the demonstrators towards 'Free Derry Corner' in the nationalist Bogside area of the city.
Despite this, a number of people continued on towards an army barricade where local youths threw stones at soldiers, who responded with a water cannon, CS gas and rubber bullets.
Protesters march route showing some of the protestors continuing on towards one of the Army Barricades

4. As the riots began to get out of control, the soldiers of the 1st Parachute Regiment were given permission to move in and arrest as many of the rioters as possible.
The order to open fire if necessary was given and some of these paratroopers did so on the crowd, killing thirteen men and injuring 13 others, one of whom died some months later.

5. Bloody Sunday Song