Police Intervention at 'Gen Z Chowk' Declaration Program

Police intervened in a program held on Sunday to declare Koteshwor Tinkune Chowk in Kathmandu as 'Gen Z Chowk'. The organizers reported that the police arrested three participants of the program.

The arrested individuals were identified as Avin Limbu, the spokesperson for the organizing body Gen Z 2.0 (Representative of All Generations), Arish Tiwari, and Sunil Singh.

The program was organized to publicly declare the junction area of Koteshwor Tinkune as Gen Z Chowk. Gen Z 2.0 (Representative of All Generations) had planned a public event to announce the name change. However, police intervened, made arrests, and also removed the signboard that had been put up.

The program was scheduled with the slogan, "Blood flowed for the nation, now its protection is our responsibility." Along with the declaration, a signboard was also erected at the chowk. The signboard was triangular, similar to Tinkune.

It had the Nepali flag at the very top, with 'Gen Z Chowk (Tinkune)' written below it. Below that was a photo of a blood-stained shoe belonging to an injured demonstrator from the Gen Z movement (which had gone viral during the movement). Below the picture was the slogan, "Blood flowed for the nation, now its protection is our responsibility."

At the bottom, in smaller text, it read 'Gen Z 2.0 (Representative of All Generations)', along with the mobile number of one of the organizers of the chowk declaration.

The signboard is currently not there. Nepal Police arrived at the program site, took away the board, and arrested spokesperson Avin Limbu and others. Dr. Haribahadur Karki, a consultant for the organizing body, claimed that they had received permission from the administration for the program. Showing the permit, he stated, "Even though we held the program after getting permission, the police intervened."

However, the police stated that they had only permitted the lighting of lamps (deep prajwalan) and arrested the participants for violating the Kathmandu District Administration Office's order, which currently prohibits any form of demonstration in Kathmandu. A lamp-lighting ceremony (deep prajwalan) was held during the program.

It was stated at the program that the 'Gen Z Chowk' was being declared as a memorial to continuously remind people of the demands and protect the achievements of the Gen Z movement. "We made this declaration so that everyone is continuously reminded of the demands of the Gen Z generation," the organizers said at the program.

They further stated that the main reason for the declaration was to fulfill the demands of the dozens of martyrs of the Gen Z movement. They expressed that it is everyone's duty to fulfill the demands put forth by the martyrs, to pay the price for their blood.

Gen Z 2.0 (Representative of All Generations) is one of the many Gen Z groups. It includes various young people from the Gen Z demographic. This group is also running its own programs in its own way to fulfill the demands of the Gen Z generation.

During the Gen Z Chowk declaration, a lamp-lighting ceremony was also held as a tribute to the martyrs of the Gen Z movement. The program saw a strong presence of the families of Gen Z martyrs, injured members, Gen Z leaders, and activists.

A national committee was also announced during the program. The official office of Gen Z 2.0 (Representative of All Generations) is located in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu.