Starmer apologises for British army ‘overreaction’ in 1972 killing of five people in Belfast
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a formal apology for the 1972 Springhill Westrock massacre in Belfast, where British soldiers killed five civilians. The apology follows a coroner's report that rejected previous military claims of a coordinated assault and found the soldiers had lost control.
Why it matters
This is a significant act of historical reconciliation regarding the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland, acknowledging state responsibility for past military misconduct.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer has apologised on behalf of the British state to the families of five Irish people shot dead in Belfast in 1972 by British soldiers who had “lost control”.
The article objectively reports on the government's apology and the findings of the independent judicial inquiry.
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