10 protests that changed the world

Protests at the right time in the right place can change the world.

10. The Alexanderplatz Demonstration. Brought down the Berlin Wall and within days the communist regime in East Germany collapse. Seen as the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

9. Stonewall Riots. Cops raid a gay bar, sparking civil unrest. The riots were the highwater mark of the 1960s LGBT movement.

8. Storming the Bastille. King Louis XVI’s government was brought to an end. Sparked the French Revolution.

7. People Power Protest. Brought down the Marcos government in the Philippines. Sparked by rigged elections.

6. Tahrir Square. One million people demonstrated against Mubarak’s regime in Egypt. His government collapsed and he was forced to resign.

5. Soweto Uprising. The anti-apartheid movement in South Africa gained momentum based on these protests. 500 people died in the uprising.

4. Muharram Protests. The US puppet in Iran was overthrown.

3. March on Washington. Martin Luther King led the march to obtain civil rights for African Americans. This, combined with an outbreak of violence, led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

2. Salt Satyagraha. Ghandi set off on a 240 miles march to protest British rule. Sparked protests across the colony.

1. Boston Tea Party. Colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor. Seen by many as the spark for the American Revolution.

Music = Cyberworld by Terry Devine-King