Instead of the black suede high-top sneakers that the authorities say concealed explosives and detonation cord, Mr. Reid wore prison-issue slippers and an orange prison jumpsuit.
Some prisoners were wearing prison officers' hats and uniforms, while others were wearing masks improvised from towels and blankets.
Under Mr Grayling's proposals to be published today: * All newly convicted adult male prisoners required to wear prison uniform for at least two weeks.
The new rules, introduced last November, also saw convicted prisoners required to wear prison uniform for the first two weeks of their sentence.
On 14 September 1976, newly convicted prisoner Kieran Nugent began the blanket protest, in which IRA and Irish National Liberation Army INLAA) prisoners refused to wear prison uniform and either went naked or fashioned garments from prison blankets.
Under the rules, convicted prisoners were required to wear prison uniform for the first two weeks of their sentence.
The Republican prisoners won widespread sympathy among the province's Roman Catholic minority by fasting to support demands to be treated as political prisoners, and refused to wear prison clothing or do prison work.
"Female prisoners do not currently have to wear prison uniforms because it might affect their self-esteem.
All convicted male prisoners are to be required to wear prison uniform for the first two weeks of their sentence under a shakeup of life in jail ordered by the justice secretary, Chris Grayling.
Special Category, or political, status meant prisoners were treated similarly to prisoners of war; for example, not having to wear prison uniforms or do prison work.
