Nepal: Fatal Clashes Erupt in Kathmandu Over Government’s Social Media Curbs, Curfew Imposed

A protest over the government’s ban on social media platforms has turned deadly in Kathmandu, with one protestor killed and several others injured. The rally, led by thousands of young people, is a direct challenge to the administration’s new restrictions on online freedom.

September 8, 2025: Thousands of people, largely students and young adults, have taken to the streets of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, to protest the government’s recent ban on social media sites. “Hami Nepal” put prepared a big event that began at 9 a.m. on Monday at Maitighar, a well-known place for protests. But the rally ended in tragedy when someone died.

The government said it will prohibit TikTok and other social media sites because they were worried about how they would undermine “social harmony” and spread “hate speech.” This is what caused the protests. The ban, which started on Monday, is immensely unpopular with civil rights groups and online activists. They think it’s a direct attack on the right to free expression.

The administration hasn’t stated anything about the protests in public yet, but they have sent in a lot of security officers to keep things under control. There hasn’t been any official word on who died or how they died, but some people who saw it said that the police and demonstrators clashed.

The “Hami Nepal” group has advised teens and young adults to maintain protesting until the government changes its decision. The protest gets people talking about digital rights and the government’s attempts to limit what individuals may do and view online.