Newspaper Article 1 Andrew Wu
176 PEOPLE KILLED AS STUDENTS RIOT IN SOWETO
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/2/1/24210953/1382761176.png)
176 people were killed today and hundreds more were injured as high school students in Soweto (an area of Johannesburg) protested against the introduction of Afrikaans in their schools. Under the new government policy, African students would be forced to learn the language Afrikaans, which is a language spoken by white people in our society. The students were also protesting for better classroom facilities, as classrooms were overcrowded and many teachers were unqualified and inexperienced.
On this morning, thousands of students in Soweto walked from their schools and gathered at the Orlando West Secondary School. There, they would march towards Orlando Stadium. By then, over 5000 students had participated in the protest. Once they had arrived, they agreed to march to the Department of Education and protest. However, this never happened.
The police, controlled by the Bureau of State Security, formed a police wall and told the students to disperse, but resistance was met, and the police opened fire (tear gas) while the students hurled rocks and bottles at the police. Later the police opened fire, and "small, defenceless children, dropped down like flies."
This latest incident has brought international attention to South Africa's apartheid laws, and puts increasing pressure on the government to end segregation and inequality.
On this morning, thousands of students in Soweto walked from their schools and gathered at the Orlando West Secondary School. There, they would march towards Orlando Stadium. By then, over 5000 students had participated in the protest. Once they had arrived, they agreed to march to the Department of Education and protest. However, this never happened.
The police, controlled by the Bureau of State Security, formed a police wall and told the students to disperse, but resistance was met, and the police opened fire (tear gas) while the students hurled rocks and bottles at the police. Later the police opened fire, and "small, defenceless children, dropped down like flies."
This latest incident has brought international attention to South Africa's apartheid laws, and puts increasing pressure on the government to end segregation and inequality.
One of the most famous photos of the Soweto uprising, which shows Mbuyisa Makhubo holding the body of 13 year old Hector Pieterson, while his sister Antoinette screams.