Sharpeville massacre

The Sharpeville massacre was when a crowd of between 5,000 and 7,000 black people protested at the police station in Sharpeville, South Africa on March 21, 1960.^[1] The police started shooting into the crowd. A total of 69 people were killed including 8 women and 10 children, and 180 people were hurt, including 31 women and 19 children.^[2] In South Africa today, this day is a public holiday in honor of human rights against racism and segregation.

Painting of the Sharpeville massacre, 1960. The painting is in the South African consulate in London

The demonstration was to protest against pass laws out of apartheid.^[2] The crowd went to the police station demanding to be arrested for not carrying their passes.^[2] At some point the South African Police started shooting.^[2] People have different explanations to what the crowd was doing.^[3] Some say that the crowd was peaceful. Others say that the crowd were throwing stones at the police. The shooting started when the crowd started going toward the fence around the police station. Some say this was what led Nelson Mandela to engaging in more violent protests.

In 1998, Truth and Reconciliation Commission recognized this massacre violence against human rights.