Protesters Vandalise Parliament Gate As Protests Turn Violent In Nepal

Thousands of young Nepalis marched in the capital Kathmandu on Monday demanding that the government lift its ban on social media platforms and end the culture of corruption pervading the country.

At least 14 people were killed in the demonstrations, and more than a hundred were injured. 

Several social media sites, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, have been inaccessible in Nepal since Friday after the government blocked 26 unregistered platforms, leaving users angry and confused.

The crowd swelled as it crossed into a restricted area close to the parliament, with some climbing over the wall into the premises. Videos showed protesters vandalising the parliament gate, sparking clashes with the police.

#WATCH | Nepal | Protestors vandalise the Parliament gate as the protest turned violent in Kathmandu, as people staged a massive protest against the ban on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other social media sites, leading to clashes between police and protesters pic.twitter.com/dkh9Mg7BGc

— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2025

"Tear gas and water cannons were used after the protesters breached into the restricted area," police spokesman Shekhar Khanal told AFP. "Many on both sides are injured."

The district administration imposed a curfew in several key areas of the city, including the parliament, the president's residence and Singha Durbar, which houses the prime minister's office.

Waving national flags, Generation Z demonstrators started the protest with the national anthem before unleashing chants against the social media prohibitions and corruption.

"We were triggered by the social media ban but that is not the only reason we are gathered here," student Yujan Rajbhandari, 24, told AFP.

"We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal."

Nepal said on Thursday it would block access to more than two dozen social media platforms, including Facebook and X, for failing to meet a deadline to register in the country.

It gave the companies seven days to register in Nepal, establish a point of contact, designate a resident grievance handling officer and a self-regulation compliance officer. The decision came after a Supreme Court order in September last year.

In 2023, the country passed a directive which required social media platforms to register and establish a local presence.

Despite several notices and efforts, major platforms have not applied for a registration, the ministry's information officer Rabindra Prasad Poudel had said. 

"If a social media platform is being used in Nepal, it should be regulated against any illegal activities or unwanted content," Mr Poudel said.

Only five, including TikTok and Viber, have formally registered and two others are in the process.

Bholanath Dhungana, president of Digital Rights Nepal, said that the sudden closure shows a "controlling" approach of the government.

Telegram messaging app was blocked in July, citing a rise in online fraud and money laundering. 

In August last year, the government lifted a nine-month ban on TikTok after the platform's South Asia division agreed to comply with Nepali regulations.