It was one of the more traumatic days of the conflict in Ireland, and for many, the events of Bloody Sunday in Derry became a turning point as violence erupted. The 53rd anniversary of the tragic event that become known as Bloody Sunday, was commemorated in the city with thousands of people taking to the streets once again in the annual Bloody Sunday March for Justice.
The horrific events of Bloody Sunday 30th January 1972, has left a lasting impact upon the lives of many, as the families of those murdered and injured continue to demand justice. Thirteen innocent civil rights protesters were shot dead and at least 15 others injured when members of the British Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside.
Just before this years annual March for Justice got underway, members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) gathered in the city's Bogside area to express solidarity with 6 bakery workers in the Spanish State known as 'La Suzia 6'. Six members of the CNT-CIT currently facing imprisonment for standing up against the bosses and their trade union activity.
In recent years, members of the IWW in Derry played their part in the commemorative events by joining together with other fellow workers, anarchists, communists and trade union activists from throughout the country and beyond. They marched together through the streets a long side the families of those murdered and injured, as well as many other prisoner and social justice campaigns, as many thousands marched to a rally at Free Derry Wall.
On a day that was undoubtedly reminiscent of the day itself, a bright sunny afternoon in winter, a spokesperson for the IWW Ireland and native of the city told us that, “We are here today to stand with the families and relatives of those murdered on Bloody Sunday and to assist the continuing call for justice of those murdered on Bloody Sunday. It’s now 53 years on and still the families of those murdered on Bloody Sunday have yet to receive truth and justice. For those who gave the go-ahead to order the murder innocent civilians on these streets, they still remain protected by the establishment, the state and continue to evade justice. For ourselves as a worker lead grassroots union, we are here to extend our solidarity with all the families of Bloody Sunday.
"We will continue to march for justice for what happened here our own streets. As a revolutionary union, our members are here knowing that the majority of those executed on that day were card carrying members of the local trade union movement. We march with other unions and trade union activists. Together, we remember all those killed on Bloody Sunday and to demand justice.
“On a day such as today, we proudly carry our union banner with the IWW slogan that reads: ‘an injury to one, is an injury to all’.”
As the rally made its way to the rally in the Bogside, under Free Derry Wall one of the first speakers, a Palestinian activist and journalist who founded Key48Return, Farrah Kouteinneh spoke of her honour to speak at such an event: “What an honour it is to speak here today protesting on the 53rd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, to speak alongside such strong Irish women, incredible Irish women, incredible Derry women, whose steadfastness, whose resilience, will be the reason for justice,” she said.
“I have only seen intersectional, inclusive, interconnected solidarity on this scale here at Bloody Sunday Marches, where we have the families of Bloody Sunday victims standing hand in hand with those from Hillsborough, with those from Palestine with those from anti-racist groups, feminist groups, to those from trade unions and with those from working-class communities.”
The prominent trade unionist and civil rights activist Eamonn McCann told those gathered of the ongoing attacks on Irish President Michael D Higgins that he “has been treated in an abominable way because he dared to mention Gaza in commemoration of the Holocaust of the Jews. We are criticised all the time. We are told we are anti-Semitic because we stand by the Palestinian people.
“There are hundreds of thousands of Jewish people throughout the world who stand with us,” he said.
The veteran trade unionist noted that Free Derry Corner as ‘Holy Grounds’ remarking that: “Remember when you look at that wall (Free Derry Corner), what really made a difference in this country: it was not the rattle of machine guns or people making eloquent speeches in parliaments, it was the sound of marching feet.”
Watch the 53rd annual March for Justice: https://www.derryjournal.com/news/people/watch-the-53rd-anniversary-annual-bloody-sunday-march-in-derry-4971285
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