Riot police used batons and tear gas to stop tens of thousands of supporters of Nepal’s former king who tried to march into the center of the capital on Thursday to demand the restoration of the monarchy and the nation’s former status as a Hindu state.
Demonstrators, waving the national flag and chanting slogans in support of former King Gyanendra, gathered on the outskirts of Kathmandu and attempted to advance towards the city centre.
Riot police blocked them, hitting them with bamboo batons and firing tear gas and a water cannon.
A police officer fires tear gas at protesters during a demonstration demanding the restoration of Nepal’s monarchy in Kathmandu, Nepal, Nov. 23, 2023. AP
There were minor injuries on both sides.
Authorities had banned protests in key areas of the city ahead of the demonstration.
“We love our king and our country more than our lives. Recover the monarchy. Abolish the republic,” the crowd chanted.
An injured girl is being taken to hospital after clashes between Nepal Police personnel and monarchy supporters during a demonstration against the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal system in Balkhu. ZUMAPRESS.com
Supporters of the former king came to Kathmandu from across the country to demand the return of the monarchy abolished in 2008.
They accused the government and political parties of corruption and failed governance.
Weeks of street protests in 2006 forced then-King Gyanendra to abandon his authoritarian rule and introduce democracy.
A riot police officer receives a blow to his helmet during clashes with pro-monarchy protesters as they protested demanding the restoration of Nepal’s monarchy in Nepal November 23, 2023. REUTERS
Two years later, a newly elected parliament voted to abolish the monarchy and declared Nepal a republic with a president as head of state.
Since then, Gyanendra has been living as a private citizen without state power or protection.
He still has some support among the people, but little chance of returning to power.
Protesters waved the national flag and chanted slogans in support of former King Gyanendra, who now lives as a private citizen without state power or protection. EPA
The protesters also demanded that Nepal become a Hindu state again.
The Himalayan nation was declared a secular state in 2007 through an interim constitution.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn