What sparked Bloody Sunday?
The Troubles broke out at the end of the 60s as police clashed with civil rights protesters who wanted an end to discriminatory housing and voting practices against Roman Catholics. British soldiers were deployed onto the streets of the province in 1969 after a summer of violent sectarian clashes between Protestants and Catholics. In August 1971, the Stormont government introduced internment – detention without trial – in a bid to break the republican paramilitary movement. Large public assemblies and processions were banned. The move only fuelled anger and increased IRA support. The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association called for the powers to be scrapped and protests were organised across the country. Many ended in ugly clashes with the authorities. A week before Bloody Sunday, soldiers fired plastic bullets and CS gas at protesters at one event near Derry. Four days later, two RUC officers were shot dead by republicans in the nationalist Creggan area of the city. Below is a tim
