Residents of the Lenadoon Estate leave their homes in protest at the presence of British soldiers.
Father Jack Fitzsimons called a public meeting of the residents of the Lenadoon Estate in Belfast and presented the British army with an ultimatum. He requested that the British soldiers leave the estate by 2.00 pm on Sunday 15 July. If not, the entire population would evacuate their homes. By 4.00 pm on Sunday afternoon, a mass evacuation of Lenadoon Estate was underway in protest at the presence of the British army.
Addressing the residents, Fr Fitzsimons says,
This evacuation must be freely done. There is to be no coercion and the evacuation is to be organised by the people of this area. It has no connection whatsoever with any republican party present in this area. It is you people who are making this decision. It is you people who are standing up for the right to live in your own homes.
As residents depart from the Lenadoon Estate some of them tell RTÉ News their reasons for leaving.
One woman with a young family says that all she wants is peace.
I'm prepared to stay away as long as I'm assure of peace.
Another man says that it has been a terrible mistake to allow the army to take over people's houses. He is prepared to stay away from his home as long as is necessary.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 16 July 1972. The reporter is John McAleese.
