Fifty years to the day, South Africa commemorates the Soweto uprising of June 16, 1976, when police opened fire on student protesters objecting to the mandatory use of Afrikaans in township schools. Over 200 young people were killed in the crackdown. The tragedy became a watershed moment in the struggle against apartheid, galvanizing youth activism and international opposition to racist education policy. According to France 24, the anniversary marks a generation's turning point in South Africa's long fight for freedom.

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