Tirana Police Fire Tear Gas at Crowds, Arrest Dozens After Ministry Attack

Police in Tirana used water cannon, tear gas, and rubber bullets to break up an antigovernment demonstration on Saturday, arresting dozens and injuring more than 300 people across both the crowd and the ranks of law enforcement. Several government buildings were also attacked during the unrest.

The Ministry of Education became a focal point of the conflict. Some people in the crowd threw stones at the structure and pushed burning waste bins toward its walls. Organizers had called on students and others from across Albania to attend, and university professors, artists, and opposition parties announced they would back the rally. Local media reported that police increased security around the capital and checked vehicles entering the city.

The violence on Saturday marked a return to tension after the protests in Tirana had calmed in recent days. Demonstrators and police have clashed repeatedly since mid-October, when a wave of protests began over conditions in schools and the rising cost of living. Albania has seen intermittent antigovernment demonstrations since May, when news emerged of a luxury hotel project linked to the family of United States President Donald Trump. Public anger has since expanded into a campaign against corruption and high costs, with protesters demanding the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Rama has placed blame on "foreign actors" for the violence, accusing Russia and Iran of driving online misinformation. He has called for dialogue. On Saturday, red cushions were placed outside the government headquarters as an invitation to talk, and protesters later set those cushions on fire. Demonstrators have blamed the entire political class for the crisis, and some carried signs criticizing Rama's opposition rival, centre-right leader Sali Berisha.