The fourth and final day of the People's Democracy march took it from Claudy to Derry City. At the junction joining the main Dungiven to Derry road, the police halted the marchers and told them that opponents of the march had gathered further ahead and that they might throw stones. Michael Farrell addressed his fellow-marchers and informed them of this possibility, adding that the police were prepared to get them through. However, once they reached Burntollet Bridge, the marchers found themselves under attack in a pre-planned ambush by a crowd of loyalists, who used rocks, sticks, bottles and iron bars.

Among the attackers were off-duty members of the B-Specials, who formed part of the RUC. Some of the marchers ended up in a nearby river where the onslaught continued. When the uninjured marchers eventually regrouped, they moved on to Derry City where they were attacked again. Thousands were in Guildhall Square to meet the marchers when they finally arrived in the city-centre.

RTÉ News reports on an attacks made on the civil rights marchers at Burntollet on 4 January 1969.

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