Nepal has been thrust into the global spotlight recently with viral images of its burning capital circulating on social media platforms. With a known death toll of 72 individuals and most, if not all, government buildings burned to the ground, questions are left: how did we get here, and what’s next?
A Brief Summary
Let’s back up for a minute. Nepal is a small country situated between India’s northern and China’s southern borders. Here’s the thing: Nepal is no stranger to internal conflict.
To make a very long, politically complicated story short, these protests are not the first time the people of Nepal have come to blows with their own government. Nepal gained a multi-party system from its king in 1980, but this government was short-lived, as it was disbanded following a no-confidence action.
Ever since, Nepal has struggled with internal competing powers of the monarchy and a Maoist insurgency movement. In 2008, Nepal was declared a republic with no formal constitution. After around 17K deaths and years spent internally at war, in September 2015, Parliament passed its landmark constitution declaring itself a secular country. Since 2008, Nepal has gone through 14 different governments in 17 years.
Nepal’s young democracy has always had its share of protests and political violence. So, what made this round different?
Social Media, Nepo Babies, & a Breaking Point
Here’s what it boils down to. Outrage had been simmering about government corruption for a long time, but the government’s ban on social media was seen as the breaking point. The Nepali government claimed the ban was to tackle ‘fake news,’ but the Nepali people saw this as censorship and sensed ulterior motives.
After images and hashtags surrounding the Nepalese government’s ‘Nepo Babies’ — privileged children of government officials living flashy lives abroad — went viral, the government decided to ban social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and X. This ban was short-lived due to protests, but the privileged lifestyles of those in power remained in people’s minds.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s GDP per capita was under $15K, making it the second poorest South Asian country, only outscoring Afghanistan, and the youth unemployment rate was estimated to be 20.8% in 2024.
This, in contrast with the lavish lifestyles of government officials and their children, sparked outrage. As the trend continued to go viral, a youth-led protest was scheduled for Sept. 8. The protests turned deadly, with 22 protesters killed and 400 hospitalized through police action.
The Retaliation
After the bloodshed, anger exploded. Crowds stormed the streets, looting and torching government buildings, including the Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Prime Minister’s residence. While the memes and edits might look almost surreal online, this was far from a victimless rebellion. Innocent people were hurt, and even the former prime minister’s wife was hospitalized after their house was set on fire with her still inside.
In the 72 hours after the deadly Sept. 8 protest, most, if not all, government officials, including former Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli, resigned or fled.
With no more formal government and most government buildings burnt to the ground, the Nepali people have turned to a formerly banned platform to negotiate the future of the country.
Discord, a popular online chatroom, is now being used to determine negotiations between the Nepali people and the military. The chatroom has already elected Nepal’s first female (interim) prime minister, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki, who was regarded by most as incorruptible amongst a corrupt government.
Gen Z, Global Protests & One Piece
Many around the globe are concerned about this recent overthrow of power, but if Nepal is known to have an unstable government, why are people just now becoming concerned? Nepal isn’t the only place where young people are pushing back. Around the world, a strange new protest symbol keeps popping up: the “Straw Hat Pirates” flag from the anime One Piece.
During global protests in 2025, it hasn’t been uncommon to see the “Straw Hat” flag waving. Why an anime flag? In One Piece, it represents freedom: freedom from tyrannical governments and the fight against oppression.
Over the last year, the flag has been waved in protests throughout Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines, and France. The flag has become a symbol for many to represent their unhappiness with the government. In fact, it was used so much in Indonesia that it’s now seen as a criminal action to try to divide the country and can now be met with a five-year prison sentence or $30K fine.
Where Things Go From Here
The popularization of the flag and the protests in Nepal are all examples of the ways people are demonstrating their disapproval towards their governments through peaceful or non-peaceful means. Nepal is now a cautionary tale of what can happen when anger and resentment against a government fester for too long. Young people who have felt ignored for too long are making themselves heard.
All one can do now is hope that the people of Nepal can rebuild a system that will hopefully last decades upon the ashes of what was burnt, and for the families who have been affected by these conflicts to find peace.
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