Unrest killed at least 19 people in Nepal on Monday (September 8), authorities said, as police in the capital fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters trying to storm parliament. The demonstrators, mostly youth, marched towards the parliament, where the army had been deployed to protect the compound, in order to denounce corruption in government and a social media shutdown and they eventually broke through barricades, forcing their way into the complex. An ambulance and a security personnel building were set on fire whilst youths hurled rocks at lines of riot police guarding the legislature. Many carried flags and placards with slogans reading: "Shut down corruption and not social media," "Unban social media," and "Youths against corruption." More than 100 people including 28 police personnel were receiving medical treatment for their injuries, police officer Shekhar Khanal told Reuters. Protesters were ferrying the injured to hospital on motorcycles. Another two people were killed when protests in the eastern city of Itahari turned violent, police said.Organizers of the protests have called them "demonstrations by Gen Z" because they say they reflect young people's widespread frustration with government inaction to tackle corruption and boost economic opportunities. The government blocked access to several social media platforms, including Facebook, last week because, officials said, they failed to register with authorities in a crackdown on misuse, including false social media accounts used to spread hate speech and fake news, and commit fraud.Many people in Nepal think corruption is rampant, and the Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli government has been criticised by opponents for failing to deliver on its promises to tackle graft or make progress to address longstanding economic issues. Thousands of young Nepalis go abroad every year for work and education.
