▁the ▁AN C ▁becoming ▁largely ▁in effect ual ▁and ▁in active , ▁until ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 4 0 s ▁when ▁the ▁AN C ▁was ▁rem od elled ▁as ▁a ▁mass ▁movement . ▁ ▁The ▁AN C ▁respond ed ▁to ▁attacks ▁on ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁black ▁South ▁Afr icans , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁calling ▁for ▁strik es , ▁boy cot ts , ▁and ▁def iance . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁later ▁Def iance ▁Camp aign ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁a ▁mass ▁movement ▁of ▁resistance ▁to ▁apart heid . ▁The ▁government ▁tried ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁AN C ▁by ▁b anning ▁party ▁leaders ▁and ▁en act ing ▁new ▁laws ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁AN C , ▁however ▁these ▁measures ▁ultimately ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁in effect ive . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁the ▁Congress ▁of ▁the ▁People ▁officially ▁adopted ▁the ▁Fre edom ▁Char ter , ▁stating ▁the ▁core ▁principles ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Congress ▁Alliance , ▁which ▁consisted ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁National ▁Congress ▁and ▁its ▁al lies ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁( S AC P ), ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Indian ▁Congress , ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Congress ▁of ▁Democr ats ▁( CO D ) ▁and ▁the ▁Col oured ▁People ' s ▁Congress . ▁The ▁government ▁claimed ▁that ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁commun ist ▁document , ▁and ▁consequ ently ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁AN C ▁and ▁Congress ▁were ▁arrested . ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁saw ▁the ▁Sh ar pe ville ▁mass acre , ▁in ▁which ▁ 6 9