1960 Sharpeville Massacre

The Sharpeville Massacre occurred on March 21, 1960, in South Africa when police opened fire on a peaceful protest against apartheid laws that forced black people to carry passbooks. As the crowd gathered outside the police station in Sharpeville to protest, police intervened unexpectedly, shooting into the crowd and killing 69 people and injuring many others. This event highlighted the brutal resistance of apartheid policies and galvanized international condemnation, marking a pivotal moment in South Africa's struggle against racial segregation and apartheid.