Our Riot History, Soweto, South Africa

In 1976 the apartheid government of South Africa decided to start enforcing the teaching of Afrikaans to all South Africans rather than English or any of the native African languages. This proved to be the tipping point for the black students suffering under apartheid. One student told the World newspaper:

"Our parents are prepared to suffer under the white man's rule. They have been living for years under these laws and they have become immune to them. But we strongly refuse to swallow an education that is designed to make us slaves in the country of our birth."

After mass demonstrations were shut down, and protesters fired upon and killed by the government, the students resorted to rioting. Students attacked police and burned down government buildings, and the rebellion quickly spread across the country. These riots proved to be horribly deadly for the students, but their dedication and militancy pushed the South African revolution forward and was a major force in shutting down the apartheid government.
Read more and more still