Bloody Sunday March Committee 2024 programme launched

Kate Nash, chairperson of the Bloody Sunday March Committee (BSMC), has officially launched the group’s 2024 Bloody Sunday commemorative programme of events.

The launch took place on Monday at Free Derry Corner.

Kate, whose brother Willie was shot dead and whose father Alex was shot and seriously wounded on January 30, 1972, said: “This year, I think the March is particularly important because of what is happening in Gaza. 

WATCH: Kate Nash (@KateNash64), chair of Bloody Sunday March committee (@BloodySunday50) launch the organisation's 2024 Commemorative Programme of Events at Free Derry Wall.

"We want to focus the March on what is happening in Gaza at the moment because it is an awful tragedy." pic.twitter.com/EJBLVfzgJc

— Derry Now (@DerryNow) January 23, 2024

Bloody Sunday March Committee's 2024 Programme of Events

Bloody Sunday March: ‘Free Derry - Free Palestine 2024’

“We have a full programme of very interesting stuff, which culminates with the March on Sunday (January 28) and I am praying, ‘God, please look down on us and keep it dry - for maybe three and a half hours would be enough’. We would really appreciate the dry weather,” said Kate with a smile.

She added: “We want to focus the March on what is happening in Gaza at the moment because it is an awful tragedy. I can’t even start talking about it because I get upset to be honest. I am glued to Al Jazeera every night and I cry every night and I know there are a whole lot of people out there doing exactly the same thing because I talk to people,” said Kate, who then introduced BSMC member, Eamonn McCann to speak. 

Watch: Eamonn McCann (@eamonderry) of Bloody Sunday March Committee (@BloodySunday50) at launch of organisation's 2024 Commemorative Programme of Events at Free Derry Wall.

"We are marching for the truth. They were hoping we would have forgotten it after Widgery & Saville." pic.twitter.com/vLPBhel2ok

— Derry Now (@DerryNow) January 23, 2024

The indomitable campaigner said Bloody Sunday had been a political as well as a military event.

He added that the British Lord Chief Justice had been told by the British Prime Minister, it was not the evidence, it was not what was fair and just and true, he had to worry about, it was the propaganda benefits for the British state as against propaganda damage.

Eamonn said: “One of the reasons to keep marching is to keep reminding people about that. 

“Until the top political people in the land and the top military people are targeted and made to be shown to the world to be the people that carried out murder here, if you don’t do that we haven’t got the full truth.

“The full truth does not have to do with hoodlums coming in here with guns and killing people. It has to do with official representatives of the British state, political as well as military. That  is what we are remembering and that is why we organise this series of events and the March every year. That is the purpose of the March. It is not just a ritual remembrance, memorial service. 

“We are marching for the truth and they were hoping against hope we would have forgotten it after Widgery and after the Saville report was published. They had great confidence. Three days [after the Saville Report was published] it was announced formally the Queen would be visiting Ireland. They thought they had Bloody Sunday put out of the way,” said Eamonn McCann.

He added: “That, as far as we are concerned, compounded the offence that was Bloody Sunday.

“That is why we are still marching. Anyone who attends any of the events is saying, ‘No’. No to the settlement - the false and politically motivated lie they are still trying.

“We are also looking out to the world. We are not just being narrow about this. It is not just our own interests and the interests of our own community that we are talking about. We see the same thing happening, an imperialist army massacring people in the Gaza Strip. 

“The old socialist slogan still holds, ‘Nobody's free until we are all free’. Imperialism is not lifted, any of it, until it is lifted from all of us around the world. 

“We [BSMC] are looking around the world at the history of oppression and imperialism everywhere and taking a stand against it.”

Concluding the launch, Kate Nash drew attention to the BSMC 2024 poster, which features the face of the youngest Bloody Sunday victim, Gerard Donaghy.

WATCH: Kate Nash (@KateNash64), chair of Bloody Sunday March Committee (@BloodySunday50) honour Gerard Donaghey - the youngest victim - & other stolen children across the world.

"This year, the March is particularly important because of what is happening in Gaza." pic.twitter.com/JC86JJVqbC

— Derry Now (@DerryNow) January 24, 2024

She said: “This is the face of Gerard Donaghey and the connection we have made with Gerard Donaghey is that Gerard was a child. He was barely 17. Gerard was the youngest of the victims, although there were other 17 year olds. Gerard’s face, which is a lovely face, as you can see, has been with us over the years. 

“On this poster there are many, many names of children from around the world. Children from here, including Daniel Hegarty. You hear those names all the time - children who were murdered by the State. There are also children from around the world, many from Palestine on here. 

“There are Children from Rio De Janeiro and all around the world, children that have lost their lives and had their lives taken.

“We also made a connection about internment, the way they picked those people off the streets. They took us off the streets too at a stage, they just called it something different there.

“Their jails are full of young children, I am told as young as six and seven. Really, really awful stuff but that is the connection we are also making too. 

“We can make many more connections but that is why this year we are going to focus and it is very, very important for us all to do, on Gaza and what is happening there and try to get it stopped.”

The Annual Bloody Sunday March assembles at Creggan Shops, Central Drive, Creggan at 2.30pm. The Rally will take place at Free Derry Wall in the Bogside.

Details of all other Bloody Sunday March Committee events can be found at: www.bloodysundaymarch.org. Email: info@bloodysundaymarch.org. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BloodySundayMarch. Twitter: @bloodysunday50. Instagram: @bloodysunday1972 Tiktok: @bloodysundayderry.