Women Break Falls Road Curfew, Belfast City, Northern Ireland 1970
Women march through the Falls Road, undeterred by a military curfew imposed by the British Army during searches for arms.
On the afternoon of Friday 3 July 1970, the British Army conducted house to house searches in the Falls Road area of Belfast for members of the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and weapons.
A military curfew was imposed on the area that night and gun battles followed during the thirty four hours of its duration. The house searches by the army continued during that time, and a large number of explosives and arms discovered.
Four men died as a result of the violence during the curfew; three were shot by British soldiers and one was knocked down by an Army vehicle.
Crowds of Women broke the curfew by marching through the Falls Road on the morning of Sunday 5 July.
The majority of them came from the adjoining Andersonstown district of West Belfast and were bringing bread and milk to people in the Falls who had been unable to leave their homes to buy groceries during the disturbances. Their destination was a school in Raglan Street where donations of food are being distributed to the community.
The women marched chanting and singing and some carried placards and a Tricolour. One soldier who attempts to stop them loses his helmet, recovering it again when he is helped by a civilian. Otherwise the march passes without incident.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 6 July 1970. This footage has natural sound only.
Credit to : CR’s Video Vaults