According to BBC, thousands of demonstrators, identifying themselves as Generation Z, gathered to protest the government’s decision to block access to popular social media platforms, including Facebook, X, and YouTube. The ban came after these platforms failed to meet a registration deadline set by Nepal’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
Nepal’s Minister for Communication, Prithvi Subba, informed the BBC that police resorted to using force, including water cannons, batons, and rubber bullets, to disperse the crowds. The protests were described by some as a response to what they perceive as an authoritarian stance by the government.
The situation intensified when demonstrators breached a restricted area near the parliament building. Police spokesman Shekhar Khanal told AFP that tear gas and water cannons were deployed after protesters climbed over the wall into the restricted zone. In response to the unrest, a curfew was imposed by a Kathmandu district office spokesperson around the parliament area.
The unrest follows the government’s order last week to block 26 social media platforms until they complied with local laws. Since then, users have faced difficulties in accessing these platforms, although some have circumvented the ban using VPNs. Two platforms have since been reactivated after registering with the ministry.
The Nepalese government maintains that the measure is not a ban but an effort to ensure social media platforms adhere to Nepali law.