9 dead, 80 injured in massive protest by Gen Z over social media ban: What’s happening in Nepal
Nepal Gen Z protests: Police set up barricades near Parliament, but protesters broke through, leading to the use of tear gas and water cannons by security forces.
- Sep 8, 2025,
- Updated Sep 8, 2025 4:04 PM IST
Gen Zers in Nepal have led a large protest – with thousands in participation – against corruption in the KP Sharma Oli government and its recent ban on 26 social media platforms. The protest, which started online, moved to the streets on Monday with clashes near Parliament. Security forces opened fire during the clashes, resulting in the deaths of nine protesters and injuries to more than 80 others.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Kathmandu, calling the movement the ‘Gen Z Revolution’, where many broke through police barricades. They also entered restricted areas as the situation escalated.
Police also fired at several locations, and the government has imposed a curfew in Kathmandu.
Despite phone and internet blackouts, Gen Z activists used alternative platforms like TikTok and Reddit to organise the protests.
Thousands marched from Maitighar Mandala towards Parliament, chanting slogans against the government. Police set up barricades near Parliament, but protesters broke through, leading to the use of tear gas and water cannons by security forces. Some protesters entered the Parliament compound amid the chaos.
WHY NEPAL BANNED CERTAIN SOCIAL MEDIA?
Nepal announced on Thursday that it would block access to several social media platforms, including Facebook, after they failed to register with authorities as part of a crackdown on misuse. The government stated that users with fake IDs are spreading hatred and rumours, committing cyber crime, and disturbing social harmony on some platforms.
About 90 per cent of Nepal's 30 million population use the internet.
Companies were given a deadline until Wednesday to register with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and provide a local contact, grievance handler, and person responsible for self-regulation. Failure to comply would result in shutdown. On Thursday, a government notice instructed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to deactivate unregistered social media platforms but did not specify which ones would be affected.
A communications ministry official told Reuters that TikTok, Viber, WeTalk, Nimbuzz, and Poppo Live had registered, while others, including Facebook, had not. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Communications and IT minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said, "We gave them enough time to register and repeatedly requested them to comply with our request. But they ignored and we had to shut their operations in Nepal."
Gen Zers in Nepal have led a large protest – with thousands in participation – against corruption in the KP Sharma Oli government and its recent ban on 26 social media platforms. The protest, which started online, moved to the streets on Monday with clashes near Parliament. Security forces opened fire during the clashes, resulting in the deaths of nine protesters and injuries to more than 80 others.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Kathmandu, calling the movement the ‘Gen Z Revolution’, where many broke through police barricades. They also entered restricted areas as the situation escalated.
Police also fired at several locations, and the government has imposed a curfew in Kathmandu.
Despite phone and internet blackouts, Gen Z activists used alternative platforms like TikTok and Reddit to organise the protests.
Thousands marched from Maitighar Mandala towards Parliament, chanting slogans against the government. Police set up barricades near Parliament, but protesters broke through, leading to the use of tear gas and water cannons by security forces. Some protesters entered the Parliament compound amid the chaos.
WHY NEPAL BANNED CERTAIN SOCIAL MEDIA?
Nepal announced on Thursday that it would block access to several social media platforms, including Facebook, after they failed to register with authorities as part of a crackdown on misuse. The government stated that users with fake IDs are spreading hatred and rumours, committing cyber crime, and disturbing social harmony on some platforms.
About 90 per cent of Nepal's 30 million population use the internet.
Companies were given a deadline until Wednesday to register with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and provide a local contact, grievance handler, and person responsible for self-regulation. Failure to comply would result in shutdown. On Thursday, a government notice instructed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to deactivate unregistered social media platforms but did not specify which ones would be affected.
A communications ministry official told Reuters that TikTok, Viber, WeTalk, Nimbuzz, and Poppo Live had registered, while others, including Facebook, had not. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Communications and IT minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said, "We gave them enough time to register and repeatedly requested them to comply with our request. But they ignored and we had to shut their operations in Nepal."