The 2016 Zimbabwe protests began in Zimbabwe on 6 July 2016. Thousands of Zimbabweans protested government repression, poor public services, high unemployment, widespread corruption and delays in civil servants receiving their salaries. A national strike, named "stay-away day," began on 6 July and subsequent protests took place across the country and diaspora. The Zimbabwean government blamed Western governments for the protests and has been accused of blocking social media such as WhatsApp from 9am until 11am on 6 July 2016 to prevent people from gathering to protest.