South African student protests show racial division

A student supporting the "Fees Must Fall" movement, right, shouts at students who want to return to class at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016. In a racially charged scene, a mostly black group of student protesters confronted white students who want protests for free education to stop so they can complete the academic year. (AP Photo) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2016, file photo, a protester, centre left, addresses fellow students outside the Great Hall at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. In a racially charged scene, a mostly black group of student protesters on Wednesday confronted white students who want protests for free education to stop so they can complete the academic year. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File) (The Associated Press)

In a racially charged scene, a mostly black group of South African student protesters in Johannesburg has confronted white students who want demonstrations for free education to stop so they can complete the academic year.

The incident occurred Wednesday at the University of the Witwatersrand, which says "many racist remarks" were made when protesters disrupted a march by students who want to return to class. Video of the confrontation shows one black protester saying police did not break up the march because its participants were white.

Sometimes violent demonstrations for free education have involved mostly black students at some universities since last month. Protesters say they can't afford school fees and are the victims of what they call "white privilege" lingering from white minority rule, which ended in 1994.