Nepal Unrest: Finance Minister Attacked As Gen Z-Led Protests Escalate

Gen Z-led protests in Nepal have escalated sharply, with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s residence set on fire and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel chased through the streets of Kathmandu, according to viral videos circulating online, NDTV reported.

The unrest began on Monday (8 September) as youth demonstrators demanded an end to the government’s social media ban and action against corruption. Although access to platforms was later restored, protests continued to intensify across the capital.

Police spokesman Shekhar Khanal told AFP that groups of protesters defied a curfew on Tuesday (9 September), with “cases of fire and attacks” reported in multiple areas.

One video shows Finance Minister Paudel, 65, sprinting down a Kathmandu street as a crowd chases him.

A young protester runs in from the opposite direction and kicks the minister, sending him crashing into a red wall. Paudel quickly regains his footing and flees again before the footage cuts off.

The demonstrations have already forced major political upheavals.

On Tuesday, (9 September) Oli stepped down after protesters demanded his resignation, a day after at least 19 people were killed in one of Nepal’s deadliest crackdowns in years.

His exit follows the resignation of three cabinet ministers, highlighting the mounting pressure on the coalition government formed last year between Oli’s Communist Party and the Nepali Congress.

The unrest was triggered by the government’s move on Friday (5 September) to block Facebook, YouTube, X, and 23 other platforms it deemed unregistered.

TikTok, however, remained online, where videos contrasting the hardships of ordinary citizens with the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, luxury shopping and vacations abroad have fueled public anger.

With Nepal’s 30 million citizens watching the turmoil unfold both on the streets and online, the protests have become a defining confrontation between the country’s political establishment and its restless younger generation.

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Also Read: Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli Resigns Amid Nationwide Gen Z Protests Over Social Media Ban