At least 19 people died in Nepal on Monday, with many injured as police used tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters trying to enter parliament. Thousands of young Nepalis, mostly students, protested in Kathmandu and other cities, calling it “demonstrations by Gen Z.”

WHAT SPARKED THE OUTRAGE?

Last week, Nepal’s government blocked access to several social media platforms because they did not register under new regulations. The government aims to reduce fake IDs, hate speech, and crime on these platforms. A notice instructed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to deactivate unregistered sites, with the promise to restore services once the platforms comply. Banned platforms include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Tencent, Snapchat, Pinterest, and X.

WHAT ARE THE PROTESTERS SAYING?

Many people in Nepal think corruption is rampant, and the government of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has been criticised by opponents for failing to deliver on its promises to tackle graft or make progress in addressing longstanding economic issues.

Nepal’s youngsters say the protest is an expression of their widespread frustration over the social media ban.

WHAT HAPPENED ON MONDAY?

At least 19 people died and dozens were injured as thousands of young people protested across major cities in Nepal.

In the capital Kathmandu, protesters barged into the parliament complex by breaking through a barricade and setting fire to an ambulance.

Police had been given orders to use water cannons, batons and rubber bullets to control the angry crowd. The army was deployed and a curfew was imposed in the city.

With information from Reuters