Thousands of young people in Nepal took to the streets of Kathmandu after the government blocked 26 popular social media platforms, including Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Protesters carried the national flag and chanted slogans calling for an end to the ban and corruption, not social media.

What started as peaceful demonstrations quickly turned violent. Witnesses said police fired at crowds who tried to storm the parliament building, while security forces also used water cannons, batons, and rubber bullets to control the protesters.

Nepal’s Minister for Communication, Prithvi Subba, told the BBC that police used force to manage the chaos. Authorities have imposed a curfew in parts of Kathmandu to try to calm the situation.

The social media ban was introduced after companies failed to meet a government registration deadline. Officials argue the rule is meant to fight fake news and online scams, but critics say it restricts free speech and unfairly affects young people.

The protests have been called a “Gen Z protest,” as many young Nepalis lead the demonstrations against what they see as government overreach and censorship. Tensions remain high, and there are fears of more violence if the clashes continue.