Police open fire on protests of Nepal’s social media policy, killing at least 17

By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA KATHMANDU Nepal AP Police in Nepal s capital of Kathmandu opened fire Monday on demonstrators protesting a regime attempt to regulate social media that blocked particular of the world s largest platforms including Facebook X and YouTube At least people were killed Related Articles French ruling body collapses in a confidence vote forcing Macron to seek yet another prime minister Prince Harry visits late queen s grave as UK visit fuels speculation about meeting with King Charles Norway votes in a closely fought poll with the future of a wealth tax in focus Israel bombs another Gaza City high-rise as US advances a new ceasefire proposal New Banksy mural of a judge beating a protester to be removed from outside London court Rallies swept the streets around the Parliament building which was surrounded by tens of thousands of people angry at agents who declared the companies had failed to register and submit to governing body oversight At least people were wounded bureaucrats stated Protesters pushed through barbed wire and forced riot police to retreat inside the Parliament complex The gunfire unfolded as the authorities pursues a broader attempt to regulate social media with a bill aimed at ensuring the platforms are properly managed responsible and accountable The proposal has been widely criticized as a tool for censorship and for punishing cabinet opponents who voice their protests online About two dozen social networks that are widely used in Nepal were repeatedly given notices to register their companies officially in the Himalayan nation the executive disclosed Those that failed to register have been blocked since last week Neither Google which owns YouTube nor Meta the parent company of Facebook Instagram and WhatsApp responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press Elon Musk s X platform did not respond either The video-sharing app TikTok Viber and three other platforms have registered and operated without interruption Protesters shout slogans in front of an armored motorcycle outside the Parliament building in Kathmandu Nepal Monday Sept AP Photo Niranjan Shrestha Protestors clash with the riot police outside the Parliament building in Kathmandu Nepal Monday Sept AP Photo Niranjan Shrestha Protesters shout slogans as they gather outside the Parliament building in Kathmandu Nepal Monday Sept AP Photo Niranjan Shrestha Riot police stand guard outside the Parliament building as they clash with the protesters in Kathmandu Nepal Monday Sept AP Photo Niranjan Shrestha Show Caption of Protesters shout slogans in front of an armored wagon outside the Parliament building in Kathmandu Nepal Monday Sept AP Photo Niranjan Shrestha Expand The death toll was disclosed by police official Shekhar Khanal He declared officers were among the wounded as smaller protests continued into late Monday evening The situation remained tense and the regime reported a curfew around Parliament the governing body secretariat the presidential house and key parts of the city Seven of those killed and scores of wounded were received at the National Trauma Center the country s main hospital in the heart of Kathmandu A multitude of of them are in serious condition and appear to have been shot in the head and chest stated Dr Badri Risa Families waited anxiously outside for news of their relatives while people lined up to donate blood Stop the ban on social media Stop corruption not social media the crowds outside Parliament chanted waving the red and blue national flags Monday s rally was called the protest of Gen Z which generally refers to people born between and The governing body s proposed bill includes asking the companies to appoint a liaison office or a point of contact in the country Rights groups have called it an attempt by the governing body to curb freedom of expression and fundamental rights Nepal in banned TikTok for disrupting social harmony goodwill and diffusing indecent materials The ban was lifted last year after TikTok s executives pledged to comply with local laws including a ban of pornographic sites that was passed in