Civil rights movement 1968-69 - 05 January 1969

05 January 1969 - Tensions Rise in the aftermath of the People's Democracy March

In the aftermath of the People's Democracy march from Belfast to Derry, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Captain Terence O'Neill, issued a statement warning that his government would consider "a reinforcement of the regular police by greater use of the Special Constabulary for normal police duties" if what he called "warring minorities" did not "rapidly return to their senses." The Minister of Home Affairs, Captain Long, said that there would be "an active and immediate investigation" into complaints about the RUC's actions in Derry on the night of 04 January 1969. The Derry Citzens' Action Committee (DCAC) responded to police destruction by calling on residents along the Derry Bogside to defend their property and cancelling its postponment of street demonstrations. Members of the People's Democracy movement went to Dublin and spoke to RTÉ about their experiences on the march.

Police damage homes in nationalist area of Derry

Donal Kelly reports from St Columb's Street, Derry, where police attacked houses in the early hours of the morning on Sunday 05 January 1969.

"I urge the people of this area to defend their own district"

Gerry Fitt MP addresses a crowd in Derry and calls on them to defend their property.

DCAC lift ban on street demonstrations

Paul Grace, chief steward of DCAC, explains how they have ended their ban on street demonstrations as a result of the People's Democracy march from Belfast to Derry and subsequent events.

"We are a lot more determined to fight the cause of the people against injustice"

Tom McGurk and Bernadette Devlin, participants in the People's Democracy march, talk to John Howard of RTÉ.

"An attempt to change the rotten state of misgovernment we have in the North"

Protestant marcher John McGuffin gives his views on the People's Democracy march in a studio discussion.

"The people who are fighting are not interested in partition"

Bernadette Devlin, John McGuffin and Tom McGurk, participants in the People's Democracy march, discuss the role of partition in the civil rights protests with Ernest Blythe and Peadar O'Donnell.

"Seven Days" Report

In a report for RTÉ's "Seven Days", Rodney Rice looks back on the Belfast to Derry march and the escalation of violence across Ulster.