Protesters in Nepal’s Kathmandu jumped wire barricades, wielded posters and surrounded the Parliament building on Monday, forcing an outnumbered riot police to retreat, during a massive agitation over the social media ban in the country.
Riot police use water cannon on protesters during clashes outside parliament building in Kathmandu, Nepal(AP)
The outnumbered police which eventually took shelter inside the Parliament complex, opened fire as situation kept getting out of control, leaving at least 16 dead and several others injured in the stir which reports described as protest of Gen Z’, referring to people born between 1995 and 2010. Follow Nepal protest news LIVE updates
A curfew was imposed in parts of Kathmandu, including areas around Parliament, the government secretariat, presidential house and other key areas.
‘Friend shot in head’: What protesters said
Protesters said they were planning to hold a peaceful protest but it was the police that resorted to violence as they advanced. “We were planning to hold a peaceful protest, but as we advanced further, we could see the violence by the police. The police are firing on the people, which is against the essence of peaceful protest. Those who are sitting in power cannot impose their power on us,” ANI news agency quoted a protester.
Anti-corruption protests are being suppressed, which is against the freedom of speech and the right to expression, the protester, who was at the scene, said.
Another demonstrator claimed his friend was shot in the head while he was standing on the road.
“A while ago, the police fired bullets which did not hit me but hit a friend of mine standing behind me. He was shot in the hand. The firing is still going on and we can hear gunfire from inside the parliament as well. My friend, who was standing on the road, was shot in the head. The police are firing indiscriminately, aiming above the knees. Are they allowed to do this?” the protester said.
At least 16 people were dead, according to the figures available till 5:30 om on Monday.
The protest was against Nepal government’s ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X and WhatsApp.
The ban, which came into effect on September 4, targeted platforms that had not registered with the Nepalese government.
Authorities said social media users with fake IDs were spreading hate speech, fake news, and committing fraud and other crimes via some platforms.
‘Hami Nepal’ organised the rally after seeking prior approval, reports said, citing the Kathmandu district administration office. Organisers were reportedly using social media to share information on protest routes and safety tips.