Nepal protesters burn down S$116 million 5-star Hilton hotel, once tallest building in capital

Kathmandu's tallest building, the five-star Hilton Hotel, has been reduced to a charred ruin after protesters set fire to it two days ago.

The hotel opened in July 2024 and cost around S$116 million to build, reported the Hindustan Times.

Photos and videos online showed the former landmark blackened and smouldering.

It was designed to withstand seismic activity and featured state-of-the-art earthquake-resistant infrastructure, according to Nation Thailand.

What's happening?

The Hilton Kathmandu is reportedly linked to the son of Nepali congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba, according to Nepali media Khabarhub, although this was denied in a report on May 11.

Nearby establishments were also destroyed in the arson attack.

Angry protesters in the so-called "Gen Z protests" have so far set fire to a slew of important buildings, including the Parliament building, the Supreme Court, and the homes of politicians.

They also burnt down the residence of then-prime minister KP Sharma Oli, who recently resigned, and torched the home of former prime Minister Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar.

His wife, who was in the house at the time, later died.

Protests in Nepal

The protests began after the Nepali government moved to institute a controversial social media ban on Sep. 4.

The ban, which would have affected 26 platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, led to accusations that the government was trying to "silence" the people, BBC reported.

Anger has been brewing for years about Nepal's worsening youth unemployment crisis, growing inequality, and alleged corruption.

The youth unemployment rate in Nepal was 20.8 per cent in 2024, according to the World Bank.

On Sep. 8, thousands of protesters, including students clad in their uniforms, took to the streets with placards reading: "Shut down corruption and not social media", and "Youths against corruption".

Although the ban was later renounced, the unrest has only escalated, with protesters smashing and looting local businesses.

30 people have so far been killed and over 1,000 wounded.

But the Gen Z protesters have since distanced themselves from the rising violence, blaming the chaos on opportunists who have infiltrated the movement, reported CNN.

Following the resignations of Oli and several other Cabinet ministers, it remains unclear who is currently leading the country.

The protests are not being led by a group or person, and began as a response to a callout on social media, according to BBC.

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Top image from Reuters