Nepal in flames: Gen Z protests spark fires at president’s residence

Nepal is witnessing an unprecedented wave of youth-led protests that have shaken the nation to its core, with the private residences of President Ram Chandra Poudel and Prime Minister KP Oli set on fire amid widespread unrest.

The demonstrations, led largely by Gen Z protesters, entered their second day as thousands marched through the streets of Kathmandu and other major cities, throwing stones and chanting anti-government slogans. A curfew has been imposed in several parts of the country, including the capital, in an attempt to control the rapidly escalating situation, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

⚡ The situation in Nepal is getting worse, the residence of Energy Minister Deepak Khadka was set on fire by protesters. Many government officials are reported to have left the capital Kathmandu. pic.twitter.com/X6aBPh4MEF

— OSINT Updates (@OsintUpdates) September 9, 2025

Videos circulating on social media showed protestors vandalizing the President’s residence and roaming freely inside. The homes of former Prime Ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal (alias Prachanda) and Sher Bahadur Deuba, as well as that of Energy Minister Deepak Khadka, were also damaged.

In a dramatic escalation, protestors breached the Nepali Parliament and set the building on fire. The Prime Minister is now under immense pressure to resign, as ministers begin distancing themselves from the administration.

At least 19 people died on Monday in violent clashes with security forces. The unrest was initially sparked by a controversial ban on social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, which were blocked after failing to register with government oversight agencies. The ban was lifted Monday, but public anger continued to swell, driven by long-standing frustration with corruption and nepotism.

Placards with slogans such as "Shut down corruption and not social media," "Unban social media," and "Youths against corruption" were seen throughout Kathmandu, while hashtags like #NepoKid, #NepoBabies, and #PoliticiansNepoBabyNepal flooded social media platforms.

"We are here to protest because our youths and friends are getting killed, we are here to seek that justice is done and the present regime is ousted. KP Oli should be chased away," said protester Narayan Acharya.

"We need to protest the killings of so many young ones and students, aimed directly at their heads by this Hitler-like KP Oli's government. As long as this government is in power, the people like us will continue to suffer," added Durganah Dahal.

Chants of “Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media” echoed through the streets, as Nepal’s Gen Z demanded justice and systemic change.

By Vafa Guliyeva