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The British government finally apologised for Bloody Sunday, one of Northern Ireland's darkest days in which 13 people died, as prosecutors considered whether to charge soldiers involved in the shootings.
To joy from victims' families, Prime Minister David Cameron called the killings "unjustified and unjustifiable" as a report into why British troops fired on a civil rights march in Londonderry in 1972 was published.
The long-awaited report concluded that none of the victims were armed, soldiers gave no warnings before opening fire and that the shootings were a "catastrophe" for Northern Ireland which led to increased violence.
"There is no doubt what happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong," Cameron told the House of Commons in London.
"The government is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the armed forces. And for that, on behalf of the government, indeed on behalf of our country, I am deeply sorry."
The new premier's apology was greeted with cheers from relatives and thousands of supporters listening to his statement on a huge screen in Londonderry.
Amid jubilant scenes in Northern Ireland's second city, relatives took turns to voice their relief that their 38-year campaign to clear their loved ones' names had been vindicated.
