ant . ▁It ▁was ▁subsequently ▁proven ▁at ▁trial ▁that ▁B ok assa ▁himself ▁occasionally ▁participated ▁in ▁beat ings . ▁ ▁Over throw ▁▁ ▁By ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁French ▁support ▁for ▁B ok assa ▁had ▁all ▁but ▁er oded ▁after ▁ri ots ▁in ▁Bang ui ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁mass acre ▁of ▁civ ili ans . ▁Between ▁ 1 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 ▁April , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁high ▁school ▁students ▁were ▁arrested ▁after ▁they ▁had ▁protest ed ▁against ▁we aring ▁the ▁expensive , ▁government - required ▁school ▁uniform s ; ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 1 0 0 ▁were ▁killed . ▁ ▁Emperor ▁B ok assa ▁personally ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁mass acre , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁even ▁reported ▁be ating ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁children ▁to ▁death ▁with ▁his ▁own ▁can e . ▁The ▁massive ▁press ▁coverage ▁which ▁followed ▁the ▁death s ▁of ▁the ▁students ▁opened ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁a ▁successful ▁coup ▁which ▁saw ▁French ▁troops ▁in ▁Operation ▁Bar rac uda ▁restore ▁former ▁president ▁David ▁D ack o ▁to ▁power ▁while ▁B ok assa ▁was ▁away ▁in ▁Lib ya ▁meeting ▁with ▁G add af i ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁B ok assa ' s ▁over throw ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁government ▁was ▁called ▁" France ' s ▁last ▁colonial ▁expedition " ▁by ▁veter an ▁French ▁diplom at ▁Jacques ▁F oc cart , ▁this ▁is ▁because ▁François ▁Mit ter rand ▁refused ▁to ▁have ▁France ▁interven e ▁in ▁this ▁manner ▁again . ▁Operation ▁Bar rac uda ▁began