Tear gas and water cannons fired at Nepal social media ban protests

Police fired tear gas at protesters during clashes as tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Nepal's capital on Monday (8 September) after authorities blocked most social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube. Demonstrators pushed through barbed wire in Kathmandu, and riot police were forced to retreat as they surrounded the Parliament building. Tear gas and water cannons were fired, but officers were outnumbered and sought safety in the Parliament complex. The government said around two dozen social network platforms widely used in Nepal were repeatedly given notices to register officially in the country, and those which failed to register have been blocked.