Nepal’s ‘Gen Z Revolution’ Erupts: Curfew in Kathmandu as Youth Protest Social Media Ban, Clash With Police
Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, was gripped by turmoil on Monday as thousands of young protesters, part of a burgeoning movement dubbed the ‘Gen Z Revolution,’ clashed with security forces near the Parliament building. The massive demonstrations, triggered by the government’s sweeping ban on major social media platforms, escalated into violence, prompting police to open fire and authorities to impose a curfew across key areas of the city.
The protests ignited after the KP Sharma Oli government blocked 26 social media sites, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, and YouTube, on September 4 for failing to register with local authorities. While the government has defended the move as a matter of regulatory compliance, Nepal’s digitally-native youth have decried it as an act of censorship aimed at stifling dissent against widespread corruption and economic inequality. What began as an online uproar quickly spilled onto the streets, with coordinated marches not just in Kathmandu but also in other cities like Pokhara and Biratnagar.
On Monday, protesters gathered at Maitighar Mandala and marched towards the Parliament in New Baneshwar. The situation turned volatile as the crowd broke through police barricades and breached restricted zones. Security forces responded with tear gas and water cannons, but as demonstrators retaliated by hurling branches and water bottles, police resorted to firing rubber bullets and live aerial shots to control the crowd. Some protesters managed to storm the Parliament compound, leading to a tense standoff before they were cleared. Several injuries were reported in the clashes. In response to the escalating chaos, the Kathmandu District Administration Office imposed a curfew from 12:30 PM to 10:00 PM in and around the New Baneshwar area.
Despite government-imposed phone and internet blackouts, activists skillfully used alternative platforms like TikTok and Reddit to mobilize thousands, sharing protest routes and safety tips. The movement has channeled simmering public anger over graft and the perceived impunity of the political elite, with hashtags like #NepoKid trending online to criticize the children of powerful figures.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, however, has remained defiant, defending the social media ban at a party convention by stating that “any attempt to undermine the nation can never be tolerated” and that his party will always stand against “anomalies and arrogance”. The ban came into effect after major tech giants like Meta and Alphabet missed a seven-day deadline to register with Nepal’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
