Page "Bloody Sunday (1972)" Paragraph 8

In January 1972 the NICRA intended, despite the ban, to organise a march in Derry to protest against internment.

The authorities who knew of the proposed march decided to allow it to proceed in the nationalist areas of the city, but to stop it from reaching Guildhall Square, as planned by the organizers.

Major General Robert Ford, then Commander of Land Forces in Northern Ireland, ordered that 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment ( 1 PARA ) should travel to Derry to be used to arrest possible rioters during the march.

1 PARA arrived in Derry on the morning of Sunday 30 January 1972 and took up positions in the city.