Global Unrest? List of countries that witnessed protest in recent years

Mass “Gen Z protests” erupted over a government ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X, and Snapchat, on September 4. The ban on the apps was triggered by non-compliance with new registration laws. As a result, the youth of Nepal began protesting on Monday (September 8, 2025 demanding that the decision be overturned. However, peaceful demonstrations escalated into violent clashes, resulting in at least 19 deaths and hundreds injured, according to several media reports.

More than 890 people were arrested in London for protesting over the ban of the activist group Palestine Action. As per the London Metropolitan Police, around 1,400 people gathered in Parliament Square on Saturday (September 6, 2025), holding signs that read: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action,” in support of the group, which was designated as a terror organisation in July, according to a report by CNN.

Thousands of students protested, chanting slogans against the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, at a rally in downtown Belgrade on Monday (September 8, 2025). A demonstration erupted following police brutality amid the recent anti-government protest that has shaken his populist rule. They demanded punishment of police officers who were responsible for excessive use of force during unrest, including for alleged rape threats against a female student, according to a report in Associated Press.

At least seven people were killed and hundreds were injured in Indonesia as anti-government protests swept across the country over the past week. Demonstrations, which began on 25 August, erupted against a housing allowance for MPs nearly 10 times Jakarta’s minimum wage. Protesters also targeted what they called “corrupt elites” and pro-conglomerate, military-friendly policies. Public buildings were torched and looted, with student group Gejayan Memanggil leading calls for accountability, as per the Guardian report.

In early to mid-March 2025, protests erupted widely in Albania, particularly in the capital Tirana, against the decision of the government that impose a one-year ban on TikTok. The move was officially framed as a protective measure after a 14-year-old student was stabbed in November 2024, which authorities said originated from an online dispute that began on TikTok. The government claimed the ban aimed to curb youth violence, cyberbullying, and harmful content by installing safety filters and delaying access until TikTok implemented stricter controls.

One of the biggest public protests in the history of Bangladesh occurred in 2024 when demonstrations occurred against the quota reforms. The peaceful protests that began in July escalated into violence after a violent crackdown by the Sheikh Hasina government, which led to the deaths of several protesters. Following the protest, Sheikh Hasina resigned from her PM post.

Sri Lanka witnessed massive protests triggered by the growing economic crisis in the country in 2022. The protesters’ sole demand was the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and members of the Rajapaksa family. Several protesters marched to the Presidential palace in July of that year, forcing Rajapaksa to flee.