The inquiry has heard that there is conflicting evidence about the public perception in Derry, shortly before Bloody Sunday, of Mr John Hume's views on the civil rights march planned for that day.
Mr Hume told the inquiry yesterday that he had "actively sought to persuade people not to have a march" because of his apprehension about the danger in the light of the aggressive behaviour of soldiers a week previously. He recalled expressing his views at a meeting of SDLP members, and he also met some of the march organisers privately and explained why he would not be taking part.
Mr Christopher Clarke QC said some people had told the inquiry that they knew Mr Hume did not support the march; some had said they did not know what his view was and some had said they thought he supported the march.
Mr Clarke asked him what publicity his views had received at the time and how widely known they were. Mr Hume said he assumed his views had been pretty well known. He was the only public representative at the time, as Stormont MP for the constituency, "so I have no doubt the people knew it".
Replying to Mr Brian Kennedy, barrister, Mr Hume said he was "not sure" if he had issued a public statement of his views to the press at the time.
Mr Hume agreed that the press would not have been at the meeting of SDLP members during the preceding week "but there is no doubt that my views were known in the city."
He confirmed that he had seen a newspaper advertisement in two Northern newspapers dated January 29th, 1972, in which he was advertised as a speaker at the march. He said, however, that he had never agreed to speak at it and the advertisement "therefore included my name in error".