Hate Mail Fails to Deter Bloody Sunday Campaign
The brother of one of the individuals killed on Bloody Sunday has declared that hate mail will not deter his ongoing pursuit of "truth and justice."
Mickey McKinney’s brother, William McKinney, was one of 13 people shot dead by the Parachute Regiment during a civil rights demonstration in Londonderry in 1972.
He revealed that he received the most recent hateful letter just moments before meeting Irish President Catherine Connolly during her visit to Derry last week.
"I think the person or people who are doing this really deserve to be pitied,"
The letter was sent to the Museum of Free Derry and was first reported by the Belfast Telegraph.
The correspondence praised the Parachute Regiment and expressed regret that the B-Specials—a reserve police force active from the 1920s to 1970—"did not shoot you all."
Background of Bloody Sunday
On 30 January 1972, the Army opened fire in the Bogside area of Derry, killing 13 people and injuring 15 others during a civil rights march. This event became known as Bloody Sunday and is widely regarded as one of the darkest days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
McKinney reflected on the impact of receiving such hate mail, stating:
"Can you just imagine what it would be like if your relative was shot dead, shot in the back, gunned down the street, had lies told about them, and then someone takes it on themselves to send you a letter like that?
I think it's sick that someone would go to those lengths."
Legal Proceedings and Ongoing Threats
In October 2025, a former paratrooper, known as Soldier F, was found not guilty of the murder of William McKinney, 26, and James Wray, 22, as well as five charges of attempted murder.
At that time, the McKinney family disclosed that they had received a "sickening" death threat.
Mickey McKinney stated that the hate mail began arriving following the Soldier F trial. He also noted that social media posts gloating over the events of Bloody Sunday became "too many to count."
He added that he no longer reads the threats but emphasized that stepping away from the Bloody Sunday campaign is not an option.
"Because it's not about me, it's about truth and justice,"
"You couldn't step away from that, I don't believe any other families could step away from it either."
Legal Representation and Police Response
Ciarán Shiels of Madden & Finucane law firm, representing the McKinney family, stated that they receive on average one message per week reflecting "a sectarian and hateful mindset."
He confirmed that the letter received last week will be handed over to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) for investigation and forensic examination.
In a statement, the police said they do not comment on named individuals but added that "no inference should be drawn from this."
