In Manila, over 200 protesters were arrested as citizens rose against a corruption scandal that drained billions from public coffers. But the Philippines is not alone. From Nepal and Bangladesh to Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, the region has witnessed a surge of youth-led uprisings demanding accountability.
Together, these struggles have been described as an “Asian Spring,” a wave of protests rooted in anger at corruption, inequality, and the erosion of democracy. Authoritarian regimes have met these movements with curfews, internet shutdowns, and violence. Repression cannot erase the demand for justice.
Watch the State documents these flashpoints of resistance as part of a wider generational call for democratic futures.
