Derry March
In September 1968, NICRA organised a march to be held in Derry on 5 October 1968. On 1 October, a Protestant fraternal organisation, the Apprentice Boys of Derry, announced their intention to march the same route on the same day and time. William Craig, the Northern Ireland Home Affairs Minister, chose to ban civil rights marches.
Civil rights demonstrators defied the ban. They were repeatedly attacked by the Royal Ulster Constabulary, who injured many marchers, including West Belfast MP Gerry Fitt. Television pictures of the march, taken by RTÉ cameraman Gay O'Brien, shocked viewers across the world. Following these events, Catholics in Derry rioted against police for two days. Students and others, such as Bernadette Devlin and Kevin Boyle at Queen's University, Belfast were moved by these events to form a more radical civil rights organisation, People's Democracy.
Unionist Prime Minister Terence O'Neill made his 'Ulster at the crossroads' speech on television on 9 December, appealing for calm. As a result of the announcement of various reforms, NICRA declared a halt to marches until 11 January 1969, while People's Democracy disagreed with this stance.
Read more about this topic: Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
Famous quotes containing the word march:
“This, then, is the test we must set for ourselves; not to march alone but to march in such a way that others will wish to join us.”
—Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)