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General Ford reacts to events on Bloody Sunday

General Ford, commander of British Army land forces in Northern Ireland, speaks moments after the shootings on Bloody Sunday, saying the paratroopers did not fire until fired upon.

He claims that they fired only 3 rounds after having 10-20 rounds fired at them from the area of the Rossville flats and that acid bombs were dropped on his men from the Rossville Flats, injuring two paratroopers. Aggressive action was taken, according to General Ford, after a "hooligan element" took over and started to attack the troops, whereupon an arrest operation became necessary "to restore law and order."

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