Ex-British soldiers could reportedly face Bloody Sunday murder charges and Johnson thinks this is a case of politics trumping justice.
Boris Johnson has stated that his belief that politics could “trump justice” amid reports that up to four British soldiers could face charges for the murder of Bloody Sunday marchers.
Over the weekend, The Telegraph reported that up to four former paratroopers could face murder charges for their actions on Bloody Sunday.
On 30 January 1972, 13 people taking part in a civil rights demonstration in Derry were killed when members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire. A 14th person later died in hospital.
In 2010, Lord Saville’s report on Bloody Sunday was an extensive examination into the violence that unfolded. It incorporated the orders given by commanding officers, ascertained whether protesters that were killed posed a serious threat, and evaluated the role that the IRA and state played.
The report stated all of the following.
- “None of the casualties shot by soldiers of Support Company was armed with a firearm or a bomb of any description. None was posing any threat of causing death or serious injury. In no case was any warning given before soldiers opened fire.”
- “We have concluded that none of them (paratroopers) fired in response to attacks or threatened attacks by nail or petrol bombers. No one threw or threatened to throw a nail or petrol bomb at the soldiers on Bloody Sunday.”
- “Many of these soldiers have knowingly put forward false accounts in order to seek to justify their firing.”
- “Our overall conclusion is that there was a serious and widespread loss of fire discipline among the soldiers of Support Company.”
- The report rejected the idea that the British government had “tolerated, if not encouraged” the use of unjustified lethal force in Northern Ireland.
Following the report in The Telegraph, Conservative MP Johnny Mercer, a former British Army officer, said that prosecuting British paratroopers for their actions on Bloody Sunday nearly 50 years on “seems wrong”.
Mercer said: “Justice? I’m not sure. Standards must be upheld, but charging people almost half a century after incidents which have already been investigated once already, seems wrong. Critical question for me is: any new evidence? If not, why is this being allowed.”
Boris Johnson has also weighed in on the discussion and said that “we mustn’t let politics trump justice in this travesty of a Bloody Sunday trial. What signal does it send out to our brave armed forces?”
Following the publication of Johnson’s column, Mercer expressed his approval for it. He also believes that this potential retrial of British paratroopers represents “facts masticated beyond belief, the setting up of a historical inquiries unit as a ‘concession’ to Sinn Fein by a weak Government, and zero new compelling evidence. It stinks, and he nails it”.
At the time of the publication of the Saville Report, Prime Minister David Cameron called the shootings “both unjustified and unjustifiable”.
We mustn't let politics trump justice in this travesty of a Bloody Sunday trial. What signal does it send out to our brave armed forces? https://t.co/vV20RWWWoF
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 3, 2019
Justice? I'm not sure. Standards must be upheld, but charging people almost half a century after incidents which have already been investigated once already, seems wrong. Critical question for me is: any new evidence? If not, why is this being allowed. https://t.co/G6ADVMVzq4
— Rt Hon Johnny Mercer (@JohnnyMercerUK) March 1, 2019
Excellent from @BorisJohnson “facts masticated beyond belief”, the setting up of a historical inquiries unit as a “concession” to Sinn Fein” by a weak Government, and zero new compelling evidence. It stinks, and he nails it. https://t.co/r8ObhKGOEX
— Rt Hon Johnny Mercer (@JohnnyMercerUK) March 4, 2019
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