On Monday, Generation Z (Gen Z) staged protests in different parts of the country against corruption, mismanagement, and the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms. Thousands of young people participated in the demonstrations.
The protesters carried placards with messages such as “Stop ghosting democracy,” “Where is our tax,” “Enough is Enough,” “Democracy dies when leadership never retires,” and “People’s Money, People’s Right.”
The protests not only saw young people rallying around common demands, but also highlighted the government’s insensitivity, instances of police oppression, and even casualties.
Here is a complete explainer on the protest.
The inception
The immediate trigger for the protest was the government’s decision to impose a social media ban on September 4. The move sent netizens into a frenzy, affecting hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Young people were hit particularly hard, as many rely on social media for business, networking, and education. Beyond that, social media also serves as a vital public sphere where they raise their voices and express their concerns.
Many Gen Z participants argued that banning social media amounts to a violation of their rights to freedom of expression and access to information. Their frustration quickly grew, extending beyond digital restrictions to broader issues such as rampant corruption and government mismanagement. Channelling this anger, Gen Z decided to take their dissent to the streets.
Faces behind the protest
There was no single organiser behind the protest. Gen Z from diverse backgrounds connected through social media platforms like Reddit and Discord, which are currently banned in Nepal, and agreed to hold the demonstration. They circulated banners and posts on social media, which quickly gained traction and received support from political parties, elected representatives, artists, professionals from various fields, and independent youths. This support gave the protest even greater momentum.
Casualties
As of this writing, the death toll has reached 18, of whom 16 were from Kathmandu and two from Itahari, with over 300 injured. So far, this is the first time in history that such a large number of people have been killed in a single day during a protest.
Although protesters had announced through social media that the demonstration would be peaceful and would not involve any form of violence, events unfolded quite differently. The protest peacefully began at Maitighar, limited to chanting slogans and displaying placards. However, when the protesters marched toward Baneshwar, the situation spiralled out of control.
They breached the restricted zone, advanced toward the Parliament House, and began throwing stones and bottles while vandalising its walls and gates. At first, police attempted to contain the situation using water cannons and tear gas. But as tensions escalated, and following the order of the Chief District Officer, police opened fire, resulting in the deaths of several protesters.
Human rights activist Mohna Ansari has questioned the police’s security strategy. She says the authorities could have used alternative methods to control the situation, and that firing tear gas and deploying water cannons was a mistake.
“The police provoked the protesters by firing tear gas and using water cannons,” she adds. “Despite being informed in advance that the protest would include uniformed school students, the way the police fired was completely inhuman.”
Under the pretext of controlling the protest, police even fired tear gas inside the Civil Hospital, where patients were undergoing treatment. This action has drawn widespread public criticism.
To control the situation, the government imposed a curfew, but even hours after it was enforced, the protests continued.
Similarly, outside Kathmandu, in places like Pokhara, Jhapa, Itahari, and Bharatpur, protesters also vandalised government property.
What’s next?
After the casualties, the public began expressing concern over the government’s use of live fire, which resulted in deaths and numerous injuries. Citizens have even started demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, claiming that in the name of controlling the protest, the government “committed murder.”
Political analyst Jagat Nepal says the government should resign immediately on moral grounds.
“The government now does not have any moral grounds to remain in power after such a large number of casualties,” he says.
He also emphasises that the demands of today’s protesters should be fulfilled and urges the immediate formation of an independent probe committee to investigate the incident.
Similar to Ansari, Nepal questions the security lapses of the police.
Ansari adds that if the government has even a little humanity, it should feel remorse and resign.
“The government acted as if the protesters were not part of the public,” she says.
