WTF: How EmerGenZ Hit Nepal As Young Protesters Torched Palaces, Freed Prisoners, Forced President, PM’s Exit

What The Fact: What started as a government clampdown on social media has snowballed into Nepal’s biggest political crisis in years, one powered almost entirely by Gen Z. The Oli government thought banning digital platforms would silence dissent. Instead, it sparked an uprising that toppled both Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and President Ram Chandra Paudel. Rebels have burned through the political order like wildfire,  with palaces torched, prisoners freed, and the country’s youth claiming centre stage.

From TikTok To The Streets

Until last week, “Gen Z” was shorthand for memes about being lazy or glued to phones. But in Kathmandu and beyond, thousands of school-uniformed teenagers proved otherwise.

Mobilising via TikTok and Reddit before the ban, they turned frustration into fury, against corruption, unemployment, and the flashy lifestyles of politicians’ kids flaunting Gucci bags abroad while ordinary Nepali coffins return home from foreign wars.

Placards told the story: “The leaders’ children return with Gucci bags, the people’s children in coffins.” The “NepoKid” and “NepoBaby” trend, borrowed from global discourse on nepotism, became Nepal’s rallying cry. Viral edits contrasted designer outfits of elite children with the lives of migrant workers who make up 33 per cent of Nepal’s GDP through remittances.

ALSO READ: KP Sharma Oli’s Political Journey:  A Look Back At Nepal PM's Controversies That Led To His Ouster

Digital Natives, Real-World Impact

Gen Z is Nepal’s most connected generation, smartphones in hand, Wi-Fi at their fingertips, attention spans trained for viral content. That made the social media ban feel personal, almost like an attack on their identity. Within days, digital dissent spilt into real-world chaos.

By Monday, the protests turned deadly. At least 19 were killed in clashes with police, pushing Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak to resign. Oli’s resignation followed hours later as demonstrators stormed his office. The President’s palace was set ablaze, with portraits defaced and livestreamed. Even a prison break in Lumbini freed 900 inmates, adding to the sense of collapse.

Why It Matters

Nepal has seen uprisings before, Maoist insurgencies, royal crackdowns, and constitutional crises. But this is the first “Gen Z rebellion” anywhere in the world. Unlike past movements, GenZ is leaderless, meme-powered, and openly hostile to traditional parties. Organisers have even told political youth wings to stay away. With youth unemployment at 19.2 per cent and corruption scandals piling up, the anger was already simmering. The social media ban simply lit the match.

ALSO READ: Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli Resigns After 19 Killed In Violent Gen Z Protests | What Led To His Ouster?

For now, Nepal stands at a crossroads. Talks have been offered, but the mood on the streets suggests Gen Z isn’t done rewriting the rules of power.