Catholic victims of 1971 Northern Ireland massacre entirely innocent
Coroner rules that the deaths of a priest and nine lay Catholics shot dead by British troops were unjustified
Updated: May 12, 2021 05:17 AM GMT
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Rita Bonner holds up a picture of her brother John Laverty as she arrives for the verdict at the Ballymurphy Massacre inquest at Waterfront Hall in Belfast on May 11. (Photo: Paul Faith/AFP)
A coroner in Northern Ireland has ruled that a priest and nine lay Catholics who were shot dead by British troops almost 50 years ago were entirely innocent and their deaths were unjustified.
What became known as the Ballymurphy Massacre in Belfast in 1971 remains one of the most controversial incidents in the conflict in the region and, at the time, British authorities referred to those killed as terrorists.
A cavalcade of cars has passed through Ballymurphy thanking the community for its support over the past 50 years.
The convoy made its way through the streets on Tuesday evening beeping horns, hours after a coroner ruled that the 10 people killed in the west Belfast shootings involving British soldiers in Ballymurphy in August 1971 were “entirely innocent”.
The occupants of the vehicles waved white flags with the word “innocent” on them.
Locals lined the streets cheering and clapping, and banged bin lids on the footpaths as the cars made their way past.
Banging bin lids on the streets was was done during the Troubles to warn people the Army was in the area.
Boris Johnson apologises unreservedly on behalf of UK Government over Ballymurphy
The apology has been slammed
Updated (Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)
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Boris Johnson has apologised unreservedly on behalf of the UK Government over the deaths of 10 people in Ballymurphy, West Belfast in 1971.
Mr Johnson made apology during call with Arlene Foster and Michelle O Neill
PM said conclusions of Ballymurphy inquest were deeply sad , spokesman said
Ms Foster is Northern Ireland s First Minister, whilst Ms O Neill is deputy and leader of Sinn Fein
Son of one of people killed rejected what he called a third party apology
John Teggart questioned why Mr Johnson did not say sorry publicly