Nepal's PM resigns after 19 killed, hundreds injured during 'Gen Z' protest over alleged corruption

At least 19 people have been killed and hundreds more injured after anti-corruption protests erupted across Nepal on Sep. 8.

The demonstrations, mainly led by young people, were centred around frustrations felt by Nepali youth regarding a perceived lack of government action to fight corruption and increased economic opportunities, as reported by Reuters.

Nepal's government then implemented a social media ban on Sep. 4, ostensibly to regulate the use of various platforms for spreading fake news, hate speech and online fraud, BBC reported.

Among the platforms banned were Facebook, X, and YouTube, which are used by about 90 per cent of Nepal's population.

The ban also came after a "nepo kid" campaign went viral on Nepalese social media weeks before, depicting the lavish lifestyles of politicians' children.

Outrage over the ban also coincided with ongoing public anger towards alleged corruption in the government, leading to protesters attempting to storm the parliament complex in the capital city, Kathmandu.

Tear gas and rubber bullets

Police reportedly fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowd during the chaos, while an ambulance was set on fire and objects were hurled at riot police, Reuters said.

The protests have been hailed as "demonstrations by Gen Z", reflecting young people's wider frustration at the country's authoritarian governance.

Thousands of protesters were school students clad in their uniforms who carried the national flag and placards with slogans like "Shut down corruption and not social media" and "Youths against corruption".

"This is the protest by the new generation in Nepal," one protester reportedly told the media. 

A curfew was also imposed until 10pm and extended to various regions across the South Asian country, including in Singha Durbar, where the prime minister's office and other government buildings are located.

PM quits

The social media ban was lifted on the morning of Sep. 9, but it appears that enough anger has been directed at the government to force a change.

Early in the evening of Sep. 9, Reuters reported that Nepal's prime minister Sharma Oli had resigned.

Oli had initially called for a meeting of all political parties, and was quoted as saying that Nepal had to "resort to peaceful dialogue to find solutions to any problem".

Despite the resignation and the ban lifting, protesters continued to gather at multiple locations in Kathmandu, including in front of the Nepali parliament.

Top image via Reuters