On this day in 1959, Congolese residents of Stanleyville rebelled against Belgian colonizers, demanding independence after a speech by Patrice Lumumba. Police suppressed the riot, killing ~70, imposing martial law, and arresting Lumumba.

The day prior, Lumumba called for a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience in a speech to the MNC congress, also ordering Congolese people to not collaborate with the Belgian colonial government and announcing that the party would not take part in the upcoming December elections.

The rebellion began on October 30th when the police arrived at the suburb of Mangoba to arrest Lumumba. The uprising was suppressed with military force, including two companies of infantry.

In total, approximately 70 people were killed in the fighting, and up to 200 were wounded. Lumumba himself was arrested by police as the government imposed martial law and banned gatherings of more than five people.

Congo would achieve independence from Belgium on June 30th, 1960, with Lumumba serving as its first Prime Minister. He was assassinated by Belgian forces and their collaborators on January 17th, 1961.

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    • aaaaaaadjsf [he/him, comrade/them]
      ·
      11 months ago

      I'm glad I don't drink anymore because I've been going mad since Saturday night when South Africa won the Rugby world cup and celebrating. Did some victory laps in the streets at 1am waving a flag like a madman. If I was still able to drink, I think I'd be dead by now lmao, nevermind going to work tomorrow

      • 2Password2Remember [he/him]
        ·
        11 months ago

        question for you since you're like the only other person I've seen mention rugby on this site: how do class/race relations play out through rugby in south africa? like are the springboks more of an upper class thing like national rugby teams are in the UK (for example), or does rugby have a wider class appeal in SA?

        Death to America

        • aaaaaaadjsf [he/him, comrade/them]
          ·
          11 months ago

          In the past it was like that, especially when I was growing up. It made me dislike the sport. But it has changed a ton in the past few years. The captaincy of Siya Kolisi, players like Mapimpi scoring a try in the last final, has really helped change things and been a kind of watershed moment for rugby in South Africa. Definitely given the sport a wider class appeal and helped it cross racial lines. Most of the people I saw celebrating the win on the streets last weekend were black. That would be unthinkable 10 years ago, rugby was seen as a white man's sport.