Sharpeville, a black suburb outside of Johannesburg, was untouched by anti-apartheid demonstrations that happen in other towns.  In March 1960, things changed when Robert Sobukwe, one of the leaders in the anti-apartheid Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) organized the town’s first protest.  A letter was sent to Sharpeville’s police informing them of the non-violence protest. Over 7,000 South Africans gathered in front of the police station to protest restrictive laws base on ethnicity. 300 police officers arrived to end the peaceful demonstration.