Kathmandu. Nepal’s government lifted its ban on social media platforms Tuesday, a day after violent protests in the capital left at least 19 people dead.

Authorities had blocked some of the world’s largest platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, last week after the companies failed to register locally and submit to government oversight. The move triggered a massive rally in Kathmandu on Monday, where police opened fire on demonstrators.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned late Monday during an emergency Cabinet meeting convened by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.

Tens of thousands of protesters filled the streets surrounding Parliament, chanting against the government’s restrictions and accusing leaders of using regulation as a tool for censorship.

The government is pushing a bill that would require social media companies to establish liaison offices in Nepal, citing the need for the platforms to be “properly managed, responsible and accountable.” Rights groups say the measure threatens free expression and could be used to silence dissent.

Officials said about two dozen widely used social networks were ordered to register in Nepal but many did not comply, leading to last week’s bans. TikTok, Viber and three other platforms registered and continued operating.

Neither Google, which owns YouTube, nor Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, responded to requests for comment. Elon Musk’s X platform also declined to comment.

A curfew was imposed around Parliament, the government secretariat, the presidential palace, and other key areas in Kathmandu, as well as in two other cities.

The National Trauma Center, Nepal’s main hospital, received seven of the dead and dozens of the wounded. “Many are in critical condition, with gunshot wounds to the head and chest,” said Dr. Badri Risa. Families crowded the hospital grounds awaiting news, while others lined up to donate blood.

“Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media,” protesters shouted, waving Nepal’s red-and-blue national flags. Organizers dubbed Monday’s rally the “protest of Gen Z,” referring to young people born between 1995 and 2010.

Nepal briefly banned TikTok in 2023, accusing it of spreading indecent material and disrupting social harmony. That ban was lifted after the company pledged to follow local laws, including a 2018 prohibition on pornographic websites.