Page 15 - All About History - Issue 34-16

Protest

Smith later insisted
that the salute was
for ‘human rights’ SOWETO SCHOOL
and not ‘black
UPRISING
power’
SOUTH AFRICA 16 JUNE 1976
The chokehold of Black African
oppression was tightened
further in 1976 when the
National Party passed a law
where most subjects would
be taught in English and
Afrikaans, while indigenous
languages were outlawed for
all but religious education,
music and PE. 10-20,000
black students rallied against
this legislation by marching
Black Power salute USA 16 OCTOBER 1968 out of their schools to a
demonstration at Orlando
When American athletes Tommie shoeless and wearing black socks
Smith and John Carter won the gold to the podium to represent black Stadium. Police were mobilised,
and bronze medals in the 200-metre poverty, and when The Star-spangled violence broke out, a young
sprint at the Summer Olympics in Banner played, the two bowed their student was shot dead, and it
Mexico, Smith’s record-breaking heads and raised a black-gloved fist.
time would fade into the shadow of This statement, made powerful by escalated from there. Hundreds
the simple gesture made as the two its international stage, sent ripples were killed; thousands were
Police fired teargas and live bullets into
received their medal. They walked beyond the Olympics. crowds of marching schoolchildren wounded.

O Iranian Muharram O People Power O Poll Tax riots O The Orange O The annexation
protests Revolution The UK Conservative Revolution of Crimea
Shahyad Square in This begins with government’s With allegations of By early 2014, there is
Tehran sees more the assassination of controversial new corruption and vote- growing support for a
than 2 million senator Aquino, a tax is immensely fixing tainting the Russian intervention to
people unite vigorous opponent of unpopular: Ukrainian national the corrupt politicians
to demand the the corrupt Marcos national riots elections, hundreds of who hold the power in
overthrow of Shah regime that ruled contribute to thousands of people Ukraine. The Crimeans
Mohammed Reza the Philippines, and the resignation A poll tax protest turns demonstrate until threaten to split and
Pahlavi. A month ends with the exile of Prime Minister into a full-scale riot a re-vote is called. when Putin’s tanks roll A Russian warship anchors
later, he steps down. of Ferdinand Marcos. Thatcher and the in Trafalgar Square, 22 November 2004 – in, they do. in the strategically vital port
2 December 1978 1983 86 abolition of the tax. London, 1990 23 January 2005 March 2014 of Sevastopol, Crimea
31 March 1990
1980 1985 1990 2000 2010 2015

O Make Love Not War O UK miners’ strike O The Red Wedge O Iraq War protests O Fatal shooting O The Ferguson riots
Huge crowds of about At its peak, Britain’s Facing the abhorrent possibility Despite 1 million sparks Greek riots After the shooting
500,000 march most bitter strike of a third consecutive British people In late 2008, a of Michael Brown,
into Washington, DC pitches 142,000 Conservative government, a protesting the student is shot an unarmed African-
and San Francisco in coal miners against group of musicians tour the invasion of Iraq in by police during a American man, by a
an anti-Vietnam War US marshals pull a man Margaret Thatcher’s UK promoting Labour party the UK alone, the dispute; this provokes white Missouri police
demonstration. away from the crowd in pay cuts and pit policies. Its name riffs off invasion begins in demonstrations around officer, two weeks of
15 November 1969 one of many anti-Vietnam closures. The unions a communist revolutionary earnest a month later. the world. riots break out.
war protests lose. 6 March 1984 poster. 1987 15 February 2003 December 2008 9 August 2014
The Chinese government has Crowds swarm to chip pieces off the wall
largely banned discussion and Tiananmen Square at the Brandenburg Gate. There’s a market Fall of the
remembrance of the events of Protests for genuine pieces of Berlin Wall Berlin Wall
spring 1989
CHINA 15 APRIL – 4 JUNE 1989 GERMANY 19 NOVEMBER 1989
Following the death of the liberal General Ironically, it was a miscommunication that
Secretary Hu Yaobang, and after a month ultimately brought down the wall. In the
of pro-democracy protesting led by Chinese late 1980s, and with refugees fleeing in
students, Communist party hardliners had their thousands from the oppressive East
reached their limit. The top brass ordered German regime via Hungary, Communist
martial law and sent 300,000 troops to party leaders rushed through new legislation
Beijing. On 3 June, state television told that allowed for limited crossing from East
citizens to remain in their homes but many into West Germany. This was effectively
ventured outside to block the advancement understood as open borders for everyone,
of the army anyway. Chinese troops fired and East Germans led a stampede on the
on their own people. When the army made wall. Unwilling to use lethal force and unable
it to Tiananmen Square, they faced more to control the huge crowds, the checkpoints
©Alamy,GettyImages
protesters: official Chinese estimates put the were opened. Shortly after, demolition of this
number of dead in the hundreds, though reviled symbol of Soviet oppression began
many more than that is likely. in earnest.
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