Late in the 1950s, the Congolese people started advocating for their right to independence from Belgium's authority over their country.
As a result of the police breaking up a gathering of the independence group ABAKO on January 4, 1959, rioting broke out in the town of Léopoldville. The violence that lasted for two days resulted in the deaths of 47 persons, all of them were Congolese, and the injuries of 379 people from Africa and Europe.
In addition, even though the Democratic Republic of the Congo achieved its independence in June of 1960, the sacrifice of those who passed away while fighting for their country is commemorated on this day.
