What happened at Sharpeville in 1960?

In 1960, the Sharpeville Massacre occurred in South Africa when police opened fire on a peaceful protest against the apartheid pass laws, which required Black South Africans to carry passbooks for movement. The demonstration drew about 5,000 people, and the police killed 69 individuals, wounding many others. This tragic event galvanized international condemnation of apartheid and intensified resistance movements within South Africa. It marked a significant turning point in the struggle against racial oppression in the country.