Most families of people killed during the Free Derry period (1969-1972) appear to support the Museum of Free Derry’s handling of an exhibition naming the dead, the head of Derry’s Bloody Sunday Trust has said.
Trust chairman, Robin Percival was speaking after the sisters of two victims staged a sit-in protest at the museum. They are demanding their brothers’ names be removed from the exhibition. Helen Deery and Linda Nash are unhappy that the names of British soldiers and RUC officers killed have been included beside their brother’s names.
Ms Deery’s brother, Manus was 15 when he was shot dead by a British soldier close to his Bogside home in May 1972. She was joined on the sit-in protest on by Ms Nash, whose brother, William (19) was shot dead on Bloody Sunday.
Ms Deery said today she was determined to maintain the protest until her brother’s name was taken off the plaque.
“I can only speak for my brother and my family wants his name removed from the plaque (which lists all the names),” the Derry woman said.
Bloody Sunday Trust chairman, Mr Percival said the organisation – which manages the museum – was currently concluding a consultation process with the families of all the victims listed in the exhibition.
Mr Percival said that with the consultation process 75% complete, it was clear that the majority of families supported the museum’s handling of the exhibition.
He said: “We have a duty of care here. This sit-in follows a raucous protest outside the museum a few months ago and some of our staff felt intimidated.”
The trust chairman hoped the consultation process would be completed by next weekend and the results would be considered then.
