Thousands march in Albanian capital as anti-government protests spread
Police said 167 people were arrested and 132 officers were injured as student-led protests turned violent and spread beyond the capital.
- On Saturday, thousands of students marched in Tirana for a fifth consecutive day, demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation amid escalating clashes with police.
- Initially sparked by opposition to a luxury coastal development linked to Jared Kushner, the movement expanded to encompass demands for education reform and accountability for alleged government corruption.
- Police deployed water cannons and rubber bullets for the first time Saturday, with National Police Chief Skender Hita confirming they were used "in a limited manner." The unrest left scores injured and resulted in 1,067 arrests.
- Prime Minister Rama rejected resignation calls, attributing violence to "foreign hands" seeking to obstruct Albania's progress. Meanwhile, Hita suspended seven officers for "exceeding their authority" and "failure to respect the principle of proportionality."
- The unrest threatens Albania's EU accession timeline as European officials monitor stability closely. Albania aims for European Union membership by 2028, making the civil disorder a significant obstacle to that ambition.
188 Articles
188 Articles
Violent protests in Albania enter fifth day
Credit: Edi Rama via Facebook Anti-government protests in Albania entered a fifth day on October 17, with clashes between demonstrators and police escalating in the capital Tirana as students joined calls for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
Protesters demand the resignation of the head of the Albanian government and denounce the teaching conditions and university fees.
By Jona Cenameri Shortly after 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 17, protesters began gathering again in front of the Ministry of Education in Tirana. It was the fifth day of violent protests that began on October 13. The crowd’s most repeated call and most articulate demand remained the one that had accompanied the protests since […]
A few hundred people, some masked, gathered on Saturday around noon in front of the Ministry of Education and protest actions then spread throughout the capital.
It is the fourth day of violent protests in the capital of Albania. Thousands of young people have again come out to the street to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, whom he accuses of corruption.
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