South Africa. Transvaal, now part of Gauteng. Sharpeville. Protesters flee for their lives after police opened fire on a peaceful crowd at the Sharpeville Massacre on 21st March 1960. After a day of demonstrations, a crowd gathered around the fence securing the police compound. The South African police opened fire on the crowd, killing 69 people and injuring 180 others. The casualties, most of whom were shot in the back as they fled, included 29 children. While sources disagree about whether the people were rowdy or not, all agree that they were unarmed and protesting peacefully. In present-day South Africa, 21 March is celebrated as a public holiday in honour of human rights and to commemorate the Sharpeville Massacre. 1960.