Fifty years after a devastating attack that changed Birmingham forever, the city gathers to honour the victims of the pub bombings. Memorial events reflect on the lives lost and the continued search for justice in the largest unsolved mass murder in British history.
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00:00Today marks 50 years since the Birmingham pub bombings, one of the most devastating
00:07attacks in British history. On the evening of the 21st of November 1974, two bombs exploded
00:14in city centre pubs, the Marlbury Bush and the Tavern in the town, killing 21 people
00:18and injuring 220 others. The tragedy struck at the heart of Birmingham during a time of
00:24heightened conflict known as the Troubles. This afternoon a memorial is being held near
00:30New Street station at the tree sculpture dedicated to the victims. Invited guests have gathered
00:36to reflect on the lives lost and the lasting impact of that night. A moment of silence
00:41is being observed, organised by the Birmingham Irish Association, allowing people across
00:46the city to pause and remember. The pub bombings remain the largest unsolved mass murder in
00:52British history. The Irish Republican Party is widely believed to be responsible, though
00:57it has never formally admitted involvement. In 1975, six men, later known as the Birmingham
01:03Six, were wrongly convicted. They spent 16 years in prison before their convictions were
01:09overturned in 1991. An inquest in 2019 concluded that the victims were unlawfully killed by
01:16the IRA, yet those responsible have never been brought to justice. Families of the victims
01:21continue to campaign for answers, urging the government to hold a statutory public
01:26inquiry to uncover the truth behind the attacks and the investigation that followed. The events
01:32of that night left a profound mark on the city and its people. While changes to forensic
01:37methods and legal processes followed the tragedy, the loss of life and the impact on families
01:42remain at the forefront of Birmingham's memory. For many, the pain of the 21st of November
01:481974 lingers as the quest for justice continues alongside the city's efforts to honour and
01:54remember those who were lost.