Packed crowd welcomes declaration of innocence

Crammed behind barriers, many in the crowd openly wept and embraced each other as relatives of each of the Bloody Sunday victims took to the stage and shouted 'innocent'.

A thumbs up from one of the family members from a window in the Guildhall sent positive vibes through the crowd and emotions ran high as news swept through that Saville had vindicated the victims and had clearly blamed the Paratroop regiment for the events of that fateful day in January 1972.

The crowd exploded with applause when Jean Hegarty, sister of 17-year-old Michael McIlhinney, tore up the green-backed Widgery Report.

Sitting in the pre-reading of the Saville Report before it was officially released at 3.30pm on Tuesday, Denis Bradley, a former deputy Chairman of the Policing Board, was visibly shaken and emotional as he read it.

A tearful Denis said: "It is very strong, I never thought a British judge would be so critical of the Paras. The city is vindicated."

Mr Bradley said it was an 'enormously historical day' and welcomed the words of Prime Minister David Cameron. "It was gracious and in many ways healing. I think when people speak good words it needs to be acknowledged."

Earlier in the morning a sombre group of around 40 family members, led by Londonderry's Mayor, Colm Eastwood, marched in silence the short distance from the Tower Museum to the red-bricked Guildhall where much of the Saville Inquiry was held to have a preview of the much anticipated report.

Carrying photographs of those killed on Bloody Sunday, the white, blood-stained handkerchief which was made famous by Bishop Edward Daly and a watch belonging to one of the victims, they were greeted with applause from the waiting crowd in Guildhall Square.

Over 450 media arrived in Londonderry and dozens of camera crews from Japan, Nigeria, the USA and across the globe set up on the ancient city walls to witness the historic revelations of the Saville Report.

As the Prime Minister took to his feet in the House of Commons at 3.30, beamed live to the masses gathered at Guildhall Square on a huge television screen, the crowd erupted in applause as he apologised for the killings on Bloody Sunday.

Some openly wept and hugged each other as the reality of the report became clear. After the cheers had died down, there was a minute's silence in memory of all those who had died in the troubles.

Kate Nash, sister of William Nash who was shot on Bloody Sunday, said: "The lies have been uncovered." Her father Alex was also killed as he tended to his dying son. "We knew they were innocent," she shouted.

'Euphoric' was how activist Eamon McCann described his emotions after the Saville Report was published. "It's been a long, long time. It's been a very hard campaign, particularly for the families. I am just so pleased that I was part of that, working with the Bloody Sunday families.

"What we have achieved, what the families have achieved, is absolutely vital for justice not just on these islands but right across the world. Those who think they can kill ordinary people with impunity and because they have uniforms and get away with it, well at least they may hesitate in the future..

"It has been all worthwhile. It's a great, great day for Derry and a mighty day for justice," he said.

He said there would be consequences from the Saville Report. "As John Kelly said, 'let justice be done' and that has to be the guiding light for anybody considering the future after Saville.

"It is not enough to say we apologise and these people were innocent we acknowledge the soldiers' behaved in a disgraceful and criminal way. If someone was killed unlawfully, that is a crime. A crime has been committed. It is up to the authorities to decide what to do about that.

He emphasised that none of the families wanted vengenance but they do want the Saville Report taken to its 'logical conclusion'.

"It is up to the Attorney General and the prosecution service now to consider very deeply where they are going to go with this case," he said.