The actions of the RIC were officially unauthorised and were greeted with public horror by the Dublin Castle-based British authorities.

The fire of the RIC was carried out without orders and exceeded the demands of the situation.

In short - the Irish terrorists had even until recently a policy of indiscriminate murder of non-combatants. Bloody Sunday was a cock up in which the RIC exceeded their orders in the apparent belief that armed combatants were being pursued and possibly entering an armed stronghold of a revolutionary force - which at that stage the soi-disant Irish government was.

Revolutionary attacks on occupying forces may be justified - but again it is a different kettle of fish when the forces that are being attacked are under orders not to shoot back.