They wanted to see all people receive equal opportunity and live life without discrimination. They preached their message throughout the country and hoped others would feel the same and take a stand against inequality and apartheid. However, there were many complications for the activists and many opponents stood against them.
Mandela and 155 other equal rights activists were put on trial for treason on December 5, 1956. In 1960, another incident occurred when police officers opened fire on a crowd of peaceful black protesters in Sharpeville. 69 people were killed and anger and riots occurred due to the tragedy. This unrest pushed the apartheid government of South Africa to banning the African National Congress. In 1961, Mandela and the other activists accused of treason were all acquitted of their crimes. After the tragic events that occurred since his trial, Mandela had decided a more radical approach must be taken towards his …show more content…
His ideals and the fact that he was in prison for them motivated the oppressed people and created an outcry against the racist government. Feeling pressured, the government offered Mandela his freedom in exchange for political compromises but Mandela righteously refused. In 1982, Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison and then put under house arrest in a minimum-security correctional facility in 1988. In 1989, South Africa’s newly elected president, F.W. de Klerk, lifted the ban against the African National Congress and pushed for a non-racist South Africa. On February 11, 1990, President Klerk ordered Mandela’s release from